London Borough of Tower Hamlets (24 013 446)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 02-Dec-2025

Summary: There was fault by the Council. There is no evidence the first Education, Health and Care Plan was sent to the family and no annual review was carried out in 2023. There was also delay sending a final Plan after the 2024 annual review. This caused uncertainty, as Mrs X will never know if Y’s inclusion in the classroom could have been improved. The Council had already apologised and put in place procedures to improve the service before the complaint was considered by the Ombudsman. A symbolic payment remedies the distress caused to Mrs X and her family from the uncertainty.

London Borough of Croydon (24 021 812)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 02-Dec-2025

Summary: Miss X complained the Council delayed issuing an Education, Health and Care Plan to her son following a review. Miss X also complained the Council failed to ensure her son received the required special educational provision while he was attending school and failed to ensure he received appropriate education for the period he did not attend school. Miss X says the Council’s actions caused avoidable distress to her and her son. We found some delay by the Council. The Council has agreed to apologise to Miss X for the fault identified.

Cheshire West & Chester Council (24 023 490)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 02-Dec-2025

Summary: The Council is at fault for poor communication and delay in the annual review process, causing distress. It also failed to provide education. The Council has accepted it is at fault and provided a suitable remedy.

West Northamptonshire Council (25 001 155)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 02-Dec-2025

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to adhere to the statutory timeframes for issuing her child, Z’s, Education, Health and Care Plan, and it failed to provide Z with access to suitable education. We find the Council at fault for a delay in issuing a final Education, Health and Care Plan and a delay in securing suitable education. This caused distress and frustration for Miss X and significantly impacted Z’s access to education. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a symbolic payment to Miss X and ensure it has a robust section 19 referral process in place available to any staff member working with children out of education.

Suffolk County Council (25 003 138)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 02-Dec-2025

Summary: The Council was at fault. It did not issue Mrs X’s child, Y’s, decision letter or Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan within the statutory timescales after Y’s late January 2025 annual review. It also communicated poorly with Mrs X. The symbolic payment the Council has already offered to Mrs X for the delays and associated distress is in line with our guidance on remedies. The Council will pay Mrs X the £500 symbolic payment it previously offered to acknowledge Mrs X’s distress, frustration and uncertainty and also issue Y’s final amended EHC Plan. The Council has already put in place service improvements.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council (25 007 716)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 02-Dec-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council changing the final total amount in an offer to remedy a complaint. It is unlikely we would find fault and there is no worthwhile outcome achievable.

Slough Borough Council (25 008 612)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 02-Dec-2025

Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s provision of education since July 2024 for Y. It is not separable from the matters a Tribunal considered. There are no reasons to justify investigating matters known to Mrs X for more than 12 months.

Kent County Council (25 019 221)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 02-Dec-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s decision that the walking route to her child, Y’s, school is safe and that Y is no longer eligible for home to school transport. There is not enough evidence of fault to warrant an investigation.

Buckinghamshire Council (24 018 549)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 01-Dec-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council’s delays during the Education, Health and Care needs assessment process for her son. She also complained the Council failed to provide her son with suitable alternative provision. We find the Council was at fault for its delay in issuing Mrs X’s son’s Education, Health and Care Plan. It was also at fault for how it handled Mrs X’s son’s alternative provision. These faults caused Mrs X frustration and uncertainty, and Mrs X’s son missed out on provision. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mrs X and make payments to her.

Hertfordshire County Council (24 022 021)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 01-Dec-2025

Summary: The Council was at fault for failing to maintain oversight of Ms X’s child Y’s educational provision from October 2023 to April 2024. It has already made a symbolic payment in recognition of the avoidable frustration and uncertainty caused which was in line with our guidance. It will apologise to Ms X and Y to acknowledge the frustration caused as a result of its fault.