Lincolnshire County Council (25 004 710)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 10-Mar-2026

Summary: We found fault on Miss Y’s complaint against the Council for failing to find her daughter, who has an Education, Health and Care plan, another education setting following her permanent exclusion from school. There was no fault on her complaint about it failing to provide alternative education provision or not following its complaints procedure. The Council agreed to apologise, make a symbolic financial payment, and review why the delay happened.

Derbyshire County Council (25 005 072)

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

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the annual review of an Education, Health and Care plan. The Council has provided a reasonable remedy to address the delay in issuing a decision to maintain or amend the plan. The complainant has appealed to a tribunal which prevents the Ombudsman from investigating the rest of the complaints.

Milton Keynes Council (25 005 477)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 10-Mar-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to secure the special educational provision in her child, Y’s, Education, Health and Care Plan following an appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability). She also complained it failed to provide Y with a suitable education when they could not attend school. We found fault by the Council for not securing a suitable education or support for Y when they could not attend school. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to recognise the injustice caused to Mrs X and Y. It also agreed to make changes to its service to prevent the same faults from happening to others.

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (25 005 651)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 10-Mar-2026

Summary: The Council was at fault in failing to provide child Y, who had an Education, Health and Care Plan, with alternative educational provision. This caused Y the injustice of five months of missed education, for which the Council agreed to make a payment by way of remedy. The Council was not at fault in not providing educational provision during the three-month period in which Y was Electively Home Educated.

East Sussex County Council (25 005 936)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 10-Mar-2026

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to provide a suitable full-time education or meet the special educational needs for his son from September 2023 to February 2025 after “off rolling” him from the school named on his Education, Health and Care Plan before he was able to start at the school. The Council was at fault for failing to provide alternative education for part of this period which caused distress to the whole family. An offer of alternative education, which is not considered wholly unsuitable, was declined by Mr X.

Lancashire County Council (25 014 198)

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

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council handled its Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment. There is not enough evidence of fault. The Council has carried out a care assessment. We could not achieve a different outcome if we investigated the complaint.

London Borough of Waltham Forest (25 014 819)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 10-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s delay in issuing an Education, Health and Care Plan for Ms X’s child. The Council has agreed to provide a proportionate remedy for the distress caused and this removes the need for us to investigate.

Lancashire County Council (25 015 046)

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

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council delayed assessing the complainant’s child’s special educational needs and identifying an appropriate specialist school for her. This is because investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (25 015 141)

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

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Miss X’s son’s special educational needs. This is because the issues she has raised are too closely related to the Council’s decisions on his Education, Health and Care Plan which carried a right of appeal which it would have been reasonable for Miss X to use.

Dorset Council (25 015 424)

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

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of her child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. This is because it was reasonable for Mrs X to use her right of appeal if she wanted to challenge the content of the plan.