Recent statements in this category are shown below:
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Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (24 018 238)
Statement Upheld Special educational needs 25-Nov-2025
Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to follow statutory guidance when completing an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment and delayed issuing an amended final EHC Plan. Miss X also complained the Council failed to provide suitable alternative provision for her child and failed to secure the special educational provision in her child’s existing EHC Plan. We have found the Council acted with fault by failing to adhere to statutory timescales and failing to properly consider its relevant duties. We find these faults led to missed educational provision, frustrated appeal rights, and avoidable distress and uncertainty. The Council agreed to apologise and pay a financial remedy to recognise the injustice caused. The Council also agreed to review Z’s EHC Plan and then issue an amended final EHC Plan within statutory timescales.
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Leicester City Council (24 018 969)
Statement Upheld Special educational needs 25-Nov-2025
Summary: The Council was at fault for delays issuing a child’s Education, Health and Care Plan following a reassessment and for not considering whether it should provide alternative education. This meant the child did not have an up to date Education, Health and Care Plan for a significant period. To remedy the injustice caused the Council agreed to apologise to Ms X and make a payment to her for the uncertainty and frustration she experienced.
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Statement Upheld Special educational needs 25-Nov-2025
Summary: Ms X complained about the Council’s handling of a child in need assessment and decision. We found fault by the Council for its failure to consider her complaint through the children’s statutory complaints process. It agreed to start this process without delay, apologise to Ms X, and make a symbolic payment to acknowledge the delay and trouble this caused her.
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Lancashire County Council (24 021 516)
Statement Upheld Special educational needs 25-Nov-2025
Summary: There was fault by the Council. It took too long to issue the Education Health and Care Plan for Ms X’s son, exceeding the legal time frame by 35 weeks. This caused Ms X distress and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise to Ms X and make a symbolic payment in recognition of the impact of its failings on Ms X.
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Statement Upheld Special educational needs 25-Nov-2025
Summary: The Council has failed to complete an Education Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment and tell Mr X whether it will proceed to an EHC Plan for his daughter. The Council’s decision is ten months overdue. This has caused Mr X distress and left him uncertain that his daughter is getting the help she needs at school. The Council should complete the assessment and make its decisions without further delay. It should also make a symbolic payment to Mr X in recognition of the impact on him and his daughter.
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Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council (24 022 528)
Statement Upheld Special educational needs 25-Nov-2025
Summary: There was fault by the Council. It delayed carrying out an annual review of Y’s Education, Health and Care Plan and, in submitting the case to the funding panel. It also failed to carry our regular reviews of Y’s Child in Need Plan. There was poor communication and delay in complaint handling. The Council has apologised and offered a suitable payment to reflect Ms X’s avoidable distress, time and trouble and delay in appeal rights.
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Kent County Council (24 006 130)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 25-Nov-2025
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s response to the complainant’s request for a change of educational placement for her child. The complaint concerns matters about which the complainant has used her right to appeal or are not separable from those matters, and therefore fall outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction.
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London Borough of Camden (24 015 121)
Statement Upheld Special educational needs 25-Nov-2025
Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s failure to deliver special educational provision included in Section F of her son’s (Y) Education Health and Care Plan. We found fault with the Council. This fault caused injustice to Y and 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, arrange a meeting with Miss X to review Y’s education and carry out further service improvement.
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West Sussex County Council (25 008 864)
Statement Upheld Special educational needs 25-Nov-2025
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s delay in completing Mr X’s child’s Education, Health and Care Plan after the annual review. This is because the Council has provided a suitable and proportionate remedy. It is therefore unlikely investigation would achieve anything more for Mr X.
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West Northamptonshire Council (25 008 951)
Statement Upheld Special educational needs 25-Nov-2025
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about delays in the Education Health and Care needs assessment process. The Council agreed to pay Mr X £800 to remedy injustice caused by its delay during this process. This is a suitable remedy for injustice and there are no wider public interest issues to justify investigating this complaint.