Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (24 013 122)

Report Upheld Special educational needs 24-Jul-2025

Summary: The Council failed to secure the special educational provision in Y’s Education, Health and Care Plan. It also failed to carry out the annual review of Y’s Plan, despite sending letters to Mrs X saying it had done so. This resulted in Y missing out on their special educational provision and caused Mrs X and Y uncertainty, distress and frustration. 99 others also received annual review completion letters when no meeting or consultation had taken place.

Birmingham City Council (24 014 076)

Statement Upheld School transport 22-Jul-2025

Summary: Mr P complains his son was not awarded dedicated home to school transport when the family moved. We find fault with the Council for failing to consider the information Mr P provided, causing him frustration and uncertainty. We have agreed the Council do the appeal again.

Kent County Council (24 014 235)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 22-Jul-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s delay in providing information about transport assistance and dealing with Mrs X’s complaint. Mrs X’s son is not entitled to school transport, and she can still appeal this decision or apply to a bursary fund. Therefore, we do not consider Mrs X has suffered sufficient injustice currently to warrant an investigation.

North Yorkshire Council (24 016 924)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 22-Jul-2025

Summary: Mr X complained that the Council failed to provide his child with full-time education and failed to issue their Education, Health and Care Plan within the statutory timescales. We find the Council at fault for delays in the Education, Health and Care process, and failing to ensure Y received appropriate alternative provision, causing loss of education and avoidable distress and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment to Mr X, and improve its services.

Hampshire County Council (24 017 768)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 22-Jul-2025

Summary: Ms B complained that the Council delayed in completing an Education, Health and Care [EHC] needs assessment for her son C. she said it also refused to accept her private educational psychology report or ensure the school provided appropriate support during the period of delay. We found that the Council delayed in completing the EHC needs assessment and producing a final EHC Plan. This caused distress and inconvenience to Ms B and C to miss out on some support. The Council has agreed to pay Ms B £175 in addition to the £325 already offered. It has also agreed to write a letter of apology to C and provide details of the steps it is taking to improve the supply of EP reports.

Suffolk County Council (24 003 278)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 22-Jul-2025

Summary: Ms X complained the Council failed to intervene and ensure her son received the education and provision in his Education, Health and Care Plan when the school he was attending reduced his education to 90 minutes per week. She also complained the Council failed to complete an annual review of her son’s Education, Health and Care Plan in line with statutory timescales. We find the Council was at fault for failing to ensure Ms X’s son received the education and provision in his Education, Health and Care Plan. It was also at fault for its delay during the annual review and for not ensuring Ms X’s son could start his new school as soon as issued his final Education, Health and Care Plan. These faults caused Ms X upset and frustration. It also meant Ms X’s son missed out on education and provision. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to apologise to Ms X and make a payment for the injustice caused by fault.

Leicestershire County Council (24 008 718)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 22-Jul-2025

Summary: The Council was at fault in how it reviewed and amended Mrs X’s child W’s Education, Health and Care Plan. It was also at fault for delay securing the provision in that Plan and for poor complaints handling. This caused Mrs X frustration and meant she had to go to undue time and trouble pursuing her complaint. It also meant W missed out on provision they should have had. To remedy their injustice, the Council will apologise to Mrs X, pay her £1100 and confirm the name of the member of staff who will act as her single point of contact in future.

Derby City Council (25 000 493)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 22-Jul-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s delay in finalising her daughter’s Education Health and Care Plan and the information supplied to Miss X. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault causing a significant enough injustice.

Surrey County Council (25 001 586)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 22-Jul-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs M’s complaint about delay issuing her son B’s education, health and care (EHC) plan because it is too old. We cannot investigate Mrs M’s complaint about B’s education from 17 October 2023 because of her appeal to the SEND Tribunal. That leaves just five weeks we can consider. There is not enough potential injustice here to justify investigation by us.

Milton Keynes Council (25 001 894)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 22-Jul-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s responses to the complainant’s requests for information about her son’s educational provision. Investigation would not lead to a different outcome and is not therefore warranted.