London Borough of Newham (24 019 833)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 21-Oct-2025

Summary: Ms X uses a personal budget to pay for her child’s special educational needs provision in school. The Council failed to provide Ms X with a right of review when it decided to end her child’s personal budget. The Council also failed to ensure Ms X was sent a direct payment agreement in advance, setting out how the budget should be used. Ms X’s child did not miss out on any provision because of these faults. However the Council’s actions have caused Ms X frustration and uncertainty. To recognise the injustice caused, the Council has agreed to apologise to Ms X and take action to improve its services.

London Borough of Waltham Forest (24 021 596)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 21-Oct-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions relating to an Education, Health, and Care Plan. Parts of the complaint are late, and other parts had an alternative legal remedy. Nor will we investigate the delays in completing an annual review, because the Council has agreed to a suitable remedy for Miss X’s injustice. There are no wider public interest issues to justify investigating this complaint.

London Borough of Brent (24 021 819)

Statement Upheld School transport 21-Oct-2025

Summary: Miss B complained the Council failed to properly consider whether to award school transport for her daughter. The Council failed to properly consider Miss B’s representations, the discretionary element of its policy and failed to arrange a stage two panel to consider the case. That leaves Miss B with some uncertainty about whether her daughter would have secured school transport. An apology, payment to Miss B and training for officers is satisfactory remedy.

Lancashire County Council (24 022 178)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 21-Oct-2025

Summary: Miss B complained that the Council, in respect of her son C, had delayed in issuing a final EHC Plan following an assessment and failed to put adequate alternative provision in place. We found fault in the actions of the Council. The Council has agreed to apologise to Miss B and C and make symbolic payments to them.

Manchester City Council (24 004 087)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 21-Oct-2025

Summary: The Council failed to review Miss X’s child, Y’s, Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan for nearly two years. It also delayed responding to Miss X’s complaint. This caused Miss X prolonged uncertainty and frustration. During this time Y stopped attending school and struggled to access alternative provision. The Council has agreed to apologise, review Y’s EHC Plan and make a payment to Miss X. It should also review its EHC Plan review processes.

East Sussex County Council (24 016 786)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 21-Oct-2025

Summary: The Council was at fault for causing a short delay when deciding Ms X’s daughter’s special educational needs support. It also caused a delay in sending a copy of the support plan to Ms X. It has already apologised to Ms X and has made service improvements. It has now also agreed to offer her a small, symbolic payment to recognise her injustice.

Cornwall Council (25 001 328)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 21-Oct-2025

Summary: The Council was at fault for not putting in place suitable education when a child was out of school and for delaying carrying out and annual review of a child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. This meant the child did not receive the education they should have and the complainant had to wait longer than they should have to challenge the content of their child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. To remedy the injustice caused the Council agreed to apologise and make a payment to recognise the loss of education to the child.

Essex County Council (25 005 453)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 21-Oct-2025

Summary: We have upheld this complaint because the Council delayed completing an Education Health and Care needs assessment. The Council has agreed to resolve the complaint by providing a remedy for the injustice this caused.

Hampshire County Council (25 006 060)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 21-Oct-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council failing to reimburse Mr X’s transport costs. The Council has agreed to re-imburse Mr X’s costs and further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

Staffordshire County Council (25 006 235)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 21-Oct-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to name a school in an Education, Health and Care Plan which the complainant says could not meet their child’s needs. This is because the complainant has used their right of appeal to the tribunal and an investigation into the complaint would overlap with the role of the tribunal.