Essex County Council (25 004 905)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 24-Mar-2026

Summary: We have found the Council at fault for its poor communication about the alternative provision available to Mrs X’s son. We also found fault with the Council for delays during the post-16 annual review process. This fault caused avoidable distress to Mrs X and her son. The Council has agreed apologise and make a symbolic payment.

London Borough of Islington (25 005 130)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 24-Mar-2026

Summary: Mr X complained that the Council had failed to ensure his son’s school adhered to his Education, Health and Care Plan, and had delayed in dealing with Mr X’s complaint. We consider the Council investigated Mr X’s concerns properly and we accept its decision that there had been some fault. However, we do not find the resulting injustice is as claimed by Mr X and that an apology is sufficient remedy. We have therefore completed our investigation and are closing the complaint.

Derby City Council (25 005 305)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 24-Mar-2026

Summary: We upheld a complaint from Mrs D that the Council delayed in issuing her daughter with an Education, Health and Care Plan. We also found some avoidable delay with the Council’s complaint handling. These faults caused some injustice to Mrs D and her daughter causing distress and putting her to unnecessary time and trouble. The Council has accepted these findings and at the end of this statement, we set out action it agreed to take to remedy that injustice.

Devon County Council (25 009 679)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 24-Mar-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council delayed completing the Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment and EHC Plan for her daughter, Y, and failed to provide alternative educational provision when Y could not attend school full-time due to her needs. We find the Council at fault for significant delays in the EHC process. The Council has agreed to apologise and pay Mrs X £500 to recognise the distress and uncertainty caused.

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (24 021 816)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 24-Mar-2026

Summary: The Council was at fault for not considering if it owed a section 19 duty to secure suitable alternative education for Miss X’s child (Y) after they stopped attending school. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to remedy the distress, frustration and uncertainty caused.

Wiltshire Council (25 015 328)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 24-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with Mrs X’s child’s Education, Health and Care Plan following an annual review. It is reasonable to expect Mrs X to have appealed to the Tribunal against the Council’s decision not to change the Education, Health and Care Plan. There is insufficient evidence of fault and injustice to justify an investigation into other aspects of Mrs X’s complaint.

Blackpool Borough Council (25 016 445)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 24-Mar-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs B’s complaint that the Council changed the school named in her child’s Education, Health and Care Plan during the Tribunal process and its communications with her about this. We cannot investigate matters connected to an appeal or the Council’s conduct during the appeals process.

Kent County Council (25 016 836)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 24-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s refusal to grant home to school transport. It is reasonable to expect her to have appealed an Education Health and Care Plan wording to the Tribunal. And we are unlikely to find fault in the Council’s decision to refuse home to school transport.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (25 017 212)

Statement Upheld Other 24-Mar-2026

Summary: We have upheld this complaint about how the Council dealt with a grant application. This is because the Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused to Mr Y and improving its service for others.

Manchester City Council (25 017 741)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 24-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s refusal to carry out an Education, Health and Care needs assessment for her child. This is because Miss X had the right to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) and it would be reasonable for her to do so.