Birmingham City Council (25 014 303)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 14-Jul-2026

Summary: Ms C complained the Council failed to provide her son (X) with an education after he was excluded from school, and it caused delays in the Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan process. We found the Council at fault for failing to adhere to the statutory timescales for the EHC plan process and for delay in its complaints handling. It was also responsible for a service failure to arrange alternative provision which was accessible to X for a school term. The Council will apologise to Ms C and make payment to acknowledge the injustice it caused her and X.

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council (25 014 839)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 14-Jul-2026

Summary: The Council was at fault when it failed to ensure Mrs X’s child Y received a suitable education and for not responding to her complaint. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment and ensure staff are aware of and follow the Council’s complaints procedure

Essex County Council (25 000 545)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 14-Jul-2026

Summary: Mrs P complained the Council failed to secure the special educational provision in her daughter Q’s Education, Health and Care Plan, failed to provide full time alternative educational provision, did not meet the legal timescale to review the plan, and named a school in the plan that did not want Q to attend. We find the Council at fault for failing to secure some of Q’s special educational provision and missing the deadlines to review the plan which caused missed educational provision and distress. The Council has agreed to make a symbolic payment and apologise.

London Borough of Bromley (25 026 209)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 14-Jul-2026

Summary: Mr X complained the Council delayed in securing a school place for his son, Z, when he moved into the area. We find the Council at fault for a delay in securing special educational provision for Z. This caused Mr X distress and frustration and meant Z missed two terms of education. The Council has agreed to apologise, re-offer its initial remedy and make an additional financial payment to remedy the injustice caused.

Somerset Council (26 005 871)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 14-Jul-2026

Summary: There was excessive delay by the Council in completing an Education, Health and Care needs assessment and in issuing a final Plan. This caused distress, frustration and uncertainty. The Council will now issue the Plan and will make a financial payment to acknowledge the injustice caused.

Birmingham City Council (25 013 846)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 13-Jul-2026

Summary: The Council was at fault for issuing Ms Z’s amended final Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan in November 2025 without carrying out an annual review and failed to communicate properly with Mrs X between May and August 2025. The Council agreed to apologise and make a payment to Mrs X and Ms Z to acknowledge the uncertainty and frustration it caused. It also agreed to carry out service improvements.

Staffordshire County Council (25 005 016)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 13-Jul-2026

Summary: Mrs X on behalf of Mx Y complained the Council failed to provide the provision in Mx Y’s, Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan following a Tribunal order. The Council was a fault for a delay totalling three terms in securing the required provision, requiring Mrs X to administer a personal budget to arrange the required provision and delaying an annual review. The Council agreed to apologise and makes a payment to recognise the injustice caused to Mx Y and Mrs X. It has also agreed to makes changes to its service to prevent the same fault from happening.

Gloucestershire County Council (25 024 371)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 13-Jul-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the handling of the Education, Health and Care Plan process by the Council because the complainant has used her right to appeal to the Tribunal.

Essex County Council (25 028 512)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 13-Jul-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about delays in the Education Health and Care Plan process. This is because the Council has agreed to apologise to Mrs X and pay her £100 per month for the delay. We consider this an appropriate remedy and further investigation is therefore unlikely to achieve anything more.

Derbyshire County Council (26 007 580)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 13-Jul-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to properly deal with a complaint about an Education Health and Care Plan and education provision for Ms X’s child. This is because the Council has agreed to conclude its complaint handling in line with our recommendations and further investigation at this stage would not be proportionate.