Lancashire County Council (24 016 902)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 26-Aug-2025

Summary: We found that the Council delayed updating Mr X’s son’s Education Health and Care Plan following a review and did not provide a suitable alternative education when his son could not attend school. We recommended an apology and a payment to reflect the lost education and distress caused.

Leeds City Council (24 017 027)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 26-Aug-2025

Summary: The Council was at fault for delay in completing an Education, Health and Care needs assessment and issuing a final Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan for Miss X’s child, Y. It was also at fault for poorly communicating with Miss X. The Council has already apologised to Miss X for some of the fault. The Council has agreed to provide Miss X a further apology for the delay in completing the assessment and issuing a final EHC Plan. The Council will also make Miss X a symbolic payment to recognise the distress, frustration and uncertainty the matter caused her as well as for the provision Y did not receive.

East Sussex County Council (24 018 286)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 26-Aug-2025

Summary: Mrs F complained about the Council’s handling of issues around her son (X) accessing his education, school transport, and how it communicated with her. She said she and X experienced distress and uncertainty, and X had a loss of education. We found the Council at fault for failing to ensure X had an education and school transport he could access during a six-month period, and there was some fault in how it communicated with Mrs F. The Council will apologise and make payment to Mrs F to acknowledge the impact its fault had on her and X.

London Borough of Bromley (24 018 413)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 26-Aug-2025

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to provide suitable education for her child, update her child’s Education, Health and Care Plan or provide the provision detailed in the plan since 2022. We found fault with the Council failing to provide suitable education for Miss X’s child for four terms and eight weeks. We also found fault with the Council delaying reviewing and issuing an amended Education, Health and Care Plan for Miss X’s child for 19 months. The Council has accepted our recommendations detailed in paragraphs 74 and 75 of this decision statement including provision of an apology and payment for the injustice caused and production of an Action Plan to address the faults found in this decision.

West Northamptonshire Council (25 000 190)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 26-Aug-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council did not issue an Education Health and Care Plan within the statutory time frame. She says this impacted her child’s education and emotional wellbeing. We find the Council at fault which caused injustice. The Council has agreed to make a payment to Mrs X to remedy the injustice.

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council (25 000 327)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Alternative provision 26-Aug-2025

Summary: Mrs M complained the Council took too long to arrange alternative education for her daughter. There is not enough injustice to justify an investigation.

Lancashire County Council (25 002 265)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 26-Aug-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of her child’s application for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. The Council has apologised and offered a remedy payment for the injustice caused by the delay in the application. There is nothing more we could achieve by investigating further.

Darlington Borough Council (25 004 211)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 26-Aug-2025

Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about information the Council obtained and considered before reaching the decision not to carry out an Education Health and Care needs assessment for her child. This is because Mrs X has used her right of appeal to a tribunal

Dorset Council (25 004 487)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 26-Aug-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about how the Council handled an application for an Education Health and Care needs assessment for her child. This is because it is reasonable for Mrs X to use her right of appeal to a tribunal and because an investigation would not achieve a different outcome.

Derby City Council (24 006 025)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 25-Aug-2025

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to provide her child, Y, with the support outlined in their Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan and that Y’s school placement failed. We found there was fault causing injustice when the Council delayed investigating Y’s EHC Plan provision and delayed issuing Y’s amended EHC Plan following a review. The Council offered a suitable remedy for the injustice and will review the case to identify learning. The Council’s decision to name a school in Y’s EHC Plan came with a right of appeal and is outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction, as is the education Y missed during the appeals process.