West Sussex County Council (25 011 158)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 06-Jan-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the school named in an Education Health and Care Plan. It would be reasonable for Miss X to appeal to the tribunal about the contents of the plan.

East Sussex County Council (24 007 784)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 06-Jan-2026

Summary: The Council failed to secure a special school place as set out in a pupil’s child’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. The Council also failed to secure education and special educational provision between March and October 2024. The uncertainty whether these failures contributed to the pupil’s disengagement from education and inability to sit GCSE’s is an injustice. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a symbolic payment and make service improvements.

North Lincolnshire Council (24 018 153)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 06-Jan-2026

Summary: The Council was at fault for its poor communications. But it was not at fault for how it handled Ms X’s child’s education. We are satisfied the Council has apologised for the injustice caused.

Brighton & Hove City Council (24 022 378)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 06-Jan-2026

Summary: We find service failure for some delays implementing some of Ms X’s child’s special educational provision. This caused Ms X injustice. We are satisfied the Council has apologised. We do not agree with Ms X that the Council should reimburse her.

Derbyshire County Council (25 001 691)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 06-Jan-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to provide her son Y’s school with enough funding to secure the special educational provision in his Education Health and Care Plan, did not meet the statutory timescales when it reviewed the plan, and had poor communication when she raised concerns. She said this meant Y missed a lot of education and caused significant stress and anxiety. We find the Council failed to secure Y’s special educational provision, missed a statutory deadline in the review process and had a poor standard of communication. This caused injustice in the form of missed educational provision, distress and uncertainty. The Council agreed to make a symbolic payment and apologise to remedy the injustice.

London Borough of Havering (25 002 039)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 06-Jan-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s refusal to issue her child an Education Health and Care Plan. This is because Mrs X has used her right of appeal against the Council’s decision.

Surrey County Council (25 003 944)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 06-Jan-2026

Summary: The Council was at fault for the delay in providing the occupational therapy provision outlined in Mrs X’s child Y’s Education, Health and Care Plan. It was also at fault for failing to properly consider its alternative provision duty when Y’s placement at their school broke down. The Council will apologise and make a symbolic payment to Mrs X to acknowledge the avoidable impact of its faults.

North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (25 004 782)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 06-Jan-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council named an unsuitable school in his child, Y’s, Education Health and Care (EHC) Plan. This is because Mr X could have appealed the content of Y’s EHC Plan to the First-tier Tribunal. We will also not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council failed to provide suitable alternative education to Y, because further investigation would not lead to a different or worthwhile outcome.

Essex County Council (25 010 576)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 06-Jan-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to deliver physiotherapy provision. This is because the Council apologised and offered a suitable remedy and it is unlikely further investigation would achieve anything more for Mrs X.

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (25 010 586)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 06-Jan-2026

Summary: We will not investigate part of Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s failure to provide education for her child between 2022 and 2025. This is because part of it is late and there are no good reasons why Mrs X could not have complained sooner. We cannot look at another part because Mrs X appealed to a Tribunal, and the law does not allow us to investigate. For the remainder, the Council upheld the complaint and provided a satisfactory remedy, and an investigation would not achieve anything further.