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.

Coventry City Council (24 021 485)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 20-Jan-2026

Summary: Miss X said the Council had not delivered the speech and language therapy set out in her child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. We found there was fault by the Council and Miss X’s child had missed about eight months of therapy sessions. To address the impact on the child’s education and the distress caused to Miss X, the Council had apologised and taken corrective action. The Council also agreed to increase its offered symbolic payment to suitably address the injustice caused by its fault.

North Yorkshire Council (25 001 887)

Statement Not upheld Special educational needs 20-Jan-2026

Summary: The Council secured the provision in Mrs X’s child, Y's, EHC Plan and repeatedly attempted to engage with Mrs X, to put the provision in place. The Council was not at fault.

Surrey County Council (25 006 738)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 20-Jan-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate most of Mr X’s complaint about his child’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan because he appealed to a tribunal, and the law says we cannot investigate. We will not investigate his complaint about delays in the annual review process for the EHC Plan between 2018 and 2023 because it is late.

London Borough of Bexley (25 011 861)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 20-Jan-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about delays in the Education, Health and Care process regarding her child, Y, because the claimed injustice is not significant enough to warrant an investigation. We will not investigate Miss X’s view that the Council failed to arrange alternative provision for Y because there is insufficient evidence of fault. We will not investigate the Council’s complaint handling because the tests in our assessment code are not met.

Essex County Council (25 015 736)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 20-Jan-2026

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

Kent County Council (24 016 961)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 19-Jan-2026

Summary: Ms X complains the Council was at fault in the way it dealt with her son’s Education Health and Care Plans, annual reviews and did not provide alternative educational provision when he could not attend school. Based on current evidence we found fault as the Council delayed an annual review. The Council has accepted it was at fault and already apologised which is suitable action for it to take. We have not investigated Ms X’s other complaints as she had the right of appeal to the SEND Tribunal, and it was reasonable to expect her to exercise this right. So, we are have completed our investigation.

Derbyshire County Council (24 021 905)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 19-Jan-2026

Summary: The Council failed to secure all the special educational provision in an Education, Health and Care Plan over five terms. There was also delay updating the Plan after annual review. This caused loss of education, distress and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic financial payment to remedy the injustice caused.

Worcestershire County Council (25 003 180)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 19-Jan-2026

Summary: We found fault by the Council on Mrs Y’s complaint about the way it dealt with her son’s Education, Health and Care plan. It failed to state he needed a specialist setting in his plan, despite agreeing he needed it. It delayed providing him with the setting, failed to properly monitor provision under his plan, or show it properly considered its duty to provide alternative education. There were communication problems and delays with consultations. In addition to action already taken, and a payment of £6,750, the Council agreed to send a written apology for the identified failings and pay a further £850 for the injustice caused.