COVID-19


Recent statements in this category are shown below:

  • Staffordshire County Council (22 016 540)

    Statement Upheld Covid-19 19-Jul-2023

    Summary: We uphold Ms X’s complaints. The Council failed to act on information in March 2019 that Ms X’s daughter, Ms Y was absent from school. The Council further failed to follow the legal timescales for completion of her Education Health and Care plan and annual review in April 2021. There was also a delay in issuing an amended plan in 2022 following orders from the SEND Tribunal and a failure to secure the provision in that amended plan. This caused avoidable distress, frustration and a loss of provision. The Council will apologise and make payments described in this statement. It will also take action to improve services.

  • London Borough of Hounslow (22 010 125)

    Statement Upheld Covid-19 04-Jul-2023

    Summary: Mrs X complains the Council failed to properly assess her blue badge application for her son in a timely manner and that it failed to make reasonable adjustments at the face-to-face assessment. The Council is at fault for failing to consider the request for reasonable adjustments and failing to provide detailed reasons for refusal of a blue badge. The Council has accepted our recommendations to remedy the injustice caused by making a payment to acknowledge the distress caused and it has agreed to make service improvements.

  • Cornwall Council (22 011 775)

    Statement Upheld Covid-19 30-May-2023

    Summary: Mrs X complains the Council failed to provide Child Y with the agreed short breaks package, causing distress and upset to Mrs X, Child Y and the rest of the family. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for failing to provide the agreed support package. The Council has agreed to a payment in recognition of the distress caused.

  • St. Josephs RC Primary School (22 012 199)

    Statement Upheld Covid-19 10-Feb-2023

    Summary: Mrs X complains that her appeal for a place for her son at the School was wrongly heard by written submissions. The School is at fault as it did not give Mrs X at least 28 days in which to lodge her appeal. This denied her the opportunity of a face to face hearing. The appeal panel is also at fault as there is no evidence to show why it considered Mrs X’s reasons for wanting a place at the School outweighed prejudice to the School. The School has agreed to remedy the injustice to Mrs X by offering a fresh face to face appeal.

  • Brighton & Hove City Council (22 005 271)

    Statement Upheld Covid-19 02-Feb-2023

    Summary: Ms X complains that the independent appeal panel which heard her appeal for a school place for her son did not consider the appeal properly. We find that there was fault in the recording of the panel’s decision-making, rather than in how it reached its decision. The Council has agreed to remind panel chairs and clerks about the need to make a clear record of the panel’s deliberations especially when dealing with multiple appeals.

  • Kent County Council (21 015 060)

    Statement Upheld Covid-19 16-Dec-2022

    Summary: Mrs X complained that the Council failed to deal properly with her complaint about support from children’s social care during the COVID-19 pandemic. We find that the Council did consider alternative means of providing the agreed support but did not fully or clearly explain the question of reimbursement of expenses. The Council has agreed a remedy, including reimbursing reasonable expenses Mrs X incurred in paying for activities that could have been covered by direct payments. Mrs X will need to provide evidence of her spending.

  • Hampshire County Council (21 018 706)

    Statement Upheld Covid-19 08-Dec-2022

    Summary: Mr X complained that the Council failed to carry out a proper risk assessment when it changed his daughter, D’s, care plan and stopped his visits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said this resulted in D’s suicide attempt. We find that there was fault in the Council’s decision-making as it did not properly weigh up the risks of transmission of COVID-19 against the risks to D’s mental health. But we cannot say it led directly to D’s suicide attempt. The Council has agreed a suitable remedy.

  • Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council (22 008 176)

    Statement Upheld Covid-19 08-Dec-2022

    Summary: Mrs X complains about frequent interruptions and inappropriate comments in her school admission appeal hearing. The appeal was heard remotely by appeal panel members working from home. As a result she says she did not get a fair hearing. We find there was fault in the way the hearing was conducted. The Council has offered a fresh in-person hearing with a different appeal panel and clerk. It has also agreed to draw up guidelines for the conduct of virtual hearings. This is a suitable remedy.

  • Dartford Science & Technology College (22 004 695)

    Statement Not upheld Covid-19 02-Dec-2022

    Summary: Ms X complains that the independent appeal panel which dealt her appeal for a place for her daughter failed to consider all her evidence properly. She also complains that she was not told the appeal would be considered on written submissions only or that she send in further evidence after she submitted her appeal. We find there was no fault by the School or the appeal panel in these matters.

  • Poole High School (22 004 272)

    Statement Upheld Covid-19 01-Dec-2022

    Summary: Mrs X complains that an appeal panel did not properly consider her appeal for a place at a school. We find the School is at fault as there is no evidence to show the appeal panel made a decision on whether the admission arrangements were lawful. This fault did not cause significant injustice to Mrs X.

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