Buckinghamshire Council (24 012 399)

Report Upheld Special educational needs 25-Feb-2026

Summary: The complainant (Mrs E) has two sons, who both have SEN. For one son the Council failed to provide them with speech and language therapy and occupational therapy included within their EHC Plan. For the other son, the Council also failed to provide him with speech and language therapy and failed to complete reviews of his EHC Plan in time. The investigation has highlighted systemic failings in the delivery of speech and language and occupational therapy services by the provider used by the Council to deliver these services to children with EHC Plans. This despite the Council having recommissioned that service and introduced a new strategy to meet the therapeutic needs of children with SEN in its area during 2024.

Buckinghamshire Council (25 022 150)

Report Upheld Special educational needs 25-Feb-2026

Summary: The complainant (Mrs E) has two sons, who both have SEN. For one son the Council failed to provide them with speech and language therapy and occupational therapy included within their EHC Plan. For the other son, the Council also failed to provide him with speech and language therapy and failed to complete reviews of his EHC Plan in time. The investigation has highlighted systemic failings in the delivery of speech and language and occupational therapy services by the provider used by the Council to deliver these services to children with EHC Plans. This despite the Council having recommissioned that service and introduced a new strategy to meet the therapeutic needs of children with SEN in its area during 2024.

Suffolk County Council (24 023 255)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 10-Feb-2026

Summary: Mr X complains the Council failed to provide the salt and language therapy provision in his daughter Y’s Education, Health and Care Plan for several years. And the Council failed to arrange suitable full-time education for Y when she stopped attending school in January 2024 impacting on Y’s education and wellbeing and causing stress to Mr X. Based on current evidence, we found fault by the Council as it did not make the salt and language therapy provision in 2024. The Council has accepted it was at fault and offered a suitable remedy. We found fault by the Council as it failed to respond to Mr X’s concerns about Y not attending school, but this did not cause a significant injustice to Mr X and Y. So, we have completed our investigation.

West Northamptonshire Council (25 006 076)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 10-Feb-2026

Summary: We upheld Miss X’s complaint about delays in the Education, Health and Care process regarding her child. The Council agreed to resolve the complaint early by apologising to Miss X and paying her a symbolic payment of £250 to acknowledge the injustice caused.

Cheshire West & Chester Council (25 007 096)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 10-Feb-2026

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s failure to meet the statutory timescales when issuing and reviewing her son’s (Y) Education Health and Care Plan. We found fault with the Council. This fault caused injustice to Miss X. The Council has already offered some suitable remedies. The Council has also agreed to make a symbolic payment to Miss X to recognise her distress.

Cambridgeshire County Council (25 007 885)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 10-Feb-2026

Summary: We have upheld this complaint about the Council’s failure to complete an Education Health and Care Needs Assessment and issue an Education Health and Care plan for the complainant’s child within the statutory timescale. The Council has agreed to provide a proportionate remedy and this removes the need for us to investigate.

Cornwall Council (25 011 946)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 10-Feb-2026

Summary: We upheld part of Miss X’s complaint about delays in the Education, Health and Care process because the Council agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused. We did not investigate part of the complaint because it was late. We did not investigate the remainder because the tests in our assessment code were not met.

Lancashire County Council (25 012 496)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 10-Feb-2026

Summary: We have upheld Mrs X’s complaint about delay in issuing her child’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. The Council have agreed to resolve the complaint by offering a suitable remedy.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (25 013 182)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 10-Feb-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the education, health and care plan process because the complainant has used her right to appeal to a Tribunal.

Cambridgeshire County Council (25 013 209)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 10-Feb-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of her request it issue her child with an Education, Health and Care Plan. The Council has offered an appropriate remedy for the initial delay, and an investigation would not achieve anything more. Miss X has now appealed to The First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability). That places much of the complaint outside our jurisdiction and we cannot consider complaints about what happens in schools.