St Paul's Catholic College (21 003 725)

Statement Not upheld Covid-19 05-Nov-2021

Summary: Ms X complained that she did not receive any notice of the hearing date for her appeal for a place for her daughter at the school. She says this meant she missed the hearing which took place by conference call. We find that the school did send her a notice of the date and time of the hearing. So although Ms X did not receive a letter with further details about the arrangements, she did not miss the hearing because of fault by the school.

East Sussex County Council (21 001 160)

Statement Not upheld Covid-19 01-Nov-2021

Summary: Mr X complains that the Council’s offer of a Personal Travel Budget is not a suitable way of making arrangements for home to college transport for his adult son who has special educational needs. The complaint concerns the academic year 2020-2021. Mr X is intending to take legal action against the Council about the same issue for the 2021-2022 year. We have decided not to investigate the complaint further at this stage as it would be inappropriate when the courts are likely to be considering the matter shortly.

Suffolk County Council (21 008 558)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Covid-19 28-Oct-2021

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of his son’s Education Health and Care Plan. This is because there is not enough evidence of significant personal injustice.

Somerset County Council (21 005 116)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Covid-19 28-Oct-2021

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about her son’s school transport. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council or that Miss X was caused significant personal injustice.

Essex County Council (20 007 476)

Statement Upheld Covid-19 27-Oct-2021

Summary: We found fault with the Council’s handling of Mrs X’s daughter’s home to school transport. The Council failed to ensure the taxi operator it commissioned was complying with guidance related to COVID-19. The Council agreed to apologise to Mrs X and her daughter and pay a mileage allowance for the days Mrs X drove her to school.

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council (20 010 940)

Statement Not upheld Covid-19 21-Oct-2021

Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council’s school transport decision for her son. The Ombudsman found no fault in the Council’s decision-making process.

Manchester City Council (20 009 927)

Statement Upheld Covid-19 20-Oct-2021

Summary: Mr X complained about lack of support for his daughter under her Education, Health and Care Plan during the first COVID-19 lockdown from March to July 2020. The Council failed to make ‘reasonable endeavours’, as required, to put the provision in place. We do not know what support might have been available if the Council had considered the matter properly but Mr X paid for some support himself. The Council has agreed a remedy including a payment for his reasonable expenses.

Nottinghamshire County Council (20 012 648)

Statement Upheld Covid-19 13-Oct-2021

Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council’s decision that she did not qualify for an offer to use Short Breaks funding for her daughter that could not be used because of the COVID-19 pandemic to buy equipment for her instead. The Council asked Mrs X to pay the money she spent back into the fund. We have found some fault in the information provided about the scheme and in the way the Council considered Mrs X’s case. The Council has agreed to allow part of the payment she made to be covered by the scheme.

Leeds City Council (21 001 588)

Statement Not upheld Covid-19 12-Oct-2021

Summary: There was no fault in the way the Council handled Mrs X’s school admissions appeal.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (20 009 047)

Statement Upheld Covid-19 04-Oct-2021

Summary: Mrs X complained that the Council failed to ensure her son received the Speech and Language Therapy support set out in his Education Health and Care Plan from March to November 2020. We find there was some fault by the Council resulting in five missed sessions. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to recognise the injustice caused.