Essex County Council (25 005 252)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 31-Mar-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained about the way the Council carried out the Education Health and Care Plan process for her daughter (Y). She also complained about the Council’s delays in arranging education and special educational provision for Y and the Council’s actions in response to her Personal budget request. We found fault with the Council for the delay in arranging special educational provision for Y, as well as for the delays and failings with the Annual Review and the Personal budget process. The Council’s fault caused injustice to Y and Mrs X. The Council has agreed to apologise and make payments to Mrs X to recognise her and Y’s injustice. The Council has also agreed to review its record keeping.

Kent County Council (25 007 298)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 31-Mar-2026

Summary: The Council failed to consider its section 19 duty, delayed completing annual reviews of an education, health and care plan and failed to communicate with Mrs X. That meant Mrs X’s daughter missed out on education, Mrs X experienced distress and Mrs X’s appeal right was delayed. An apology and payment to Mrs X is satisfactory remedy.

Hampshire County Council (25 011 249)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 31-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of an Education, Health and Care Plan. Part of the complaint is late and there is no good reason for us to consider it now.

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (25 012 504)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 31-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of his request that it issue his child with an Education, Health and Care Plan. Mr X appealed to the Tribunal which places this part of his complaint outside of our jurisdiction. There is not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant us investigating Mr X’s claim the Council failed to provide his child with sufficient nursery education.

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (25 013 693)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 31-Mar-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to provide appropriate education or special educational provison to Mr X’s sister, Y. This is because Mr X used his right to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability), and the matters which he complains of are the subject of the appeal.

London Borough of Bromley (25 013 696)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 31-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of her child’s education. Miss X is unhappy with the content of her child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. It was reasonable for Miss X to appeal this to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability).

London Borough of Ealing (25 017 461)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 31-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the handling of his child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. Part of the complaint is late and it was reasonable for Mr X to complain sooner. The remainder of Mr X’s complaint is premature.

Northumberland County Council (25 002 035)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 30-Mar-2026

Summary: There was fault by the Council in failing to have oversight of alternative education when a pupil was severely absent over an extended period. This casts doubt on whether the education offered was suitable. It is too speculative to say whether, but for this fault, the pupil would have been able to engage in more education. This uncertainty is an injustice. The Council will apologise, make a symbolic payment to acknowledge the distress and uncertainty, and carry out service improvements.

Essex County Council (25 005 994)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 30-Mar-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council incurred delays following her request for an Education, Health and Care needs assessment for her son. She also complained the Council failed to provide alternative educational provision when her son was unable to attend school. Mrs X says the Council’s actions caused significant, avoidable anxiety and led to her son falling behind academically. We found fault by the Council. The Council has agreed to provide an apology and a financial remedy to address the injustice identified.

Hertfordshire County Council (25 007 340)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 30-Mar-2026

Summary: Miss B complained the Council failed to update her son’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan in line with a Tribunal decision within statutory timescales. She also complained it failed to secure specialist provision and failed to offer a suitable remedy. The Council was at fault. It failed to secure speech and language therapy (SaLT) and its communication was poor. Miss B suffered distress and frustration and C missed provision. The Council has agreed to make symbolic payments and send us evidence of progress it has made on its Improvement Plan.