Special educational needs This fact sheet is aimed mainly at parents who are concerned that their child may have special educational needs that are not being met and may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. What is the Ombudsman's role in complaints about special educational needs? The law generally prevents us from investigating complaints where the decision or issue complained ab ...

Bedfordshire boy missed more than a year’s education because of council failures Central Bedfordshire Council is to review the way it provides alternative education for children who are unable to attend school because of medical issues following an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. The changes are part of the Ombudsman’s recommendations for the council in a case whe ...

Hounslow refusing “to do right” by homeless pregnant woman it failed Hounslow council is refusing to offer a home to a young mother despite making a catalogue of errors which left her homeless and sofa surfing while pregnant. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has recommended London Borough of Hounslow offer the woman and her baby its next available suitable accommodation, because its ...

Ombudsman reminds councils of their foster carer school transport duties Councils across England are being reminded about the financial support they must provide to foster carers’ school transport expenses following an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman into Wolverhampton council. The warning comes after a foster carer complained the council told her the children she ...

Hampshire council did not arrange transport for boy with special needs in time Hampshire County Council expected a young child with special educational needs to travel on their own in a taxi to school – or face a three-hour round-trip in shared transport. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigated after a father complained his child, who was due to start Reception at his special ...

Council to apologise to Southend mother for not considering her needs as a carer Southend council has agreed to apologise to a mother for twice failing to assess her needs as a carer despite agreeing to do so in a previous investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. In the previous complaint, the mother told the Ombudsman Southend-on-Sea City Council had not carried out a par ...

Councils warned to ensure grant processes are transparent following Ombudsman complaint Councils administering Disabled Facilities Grants need to ensure their processes are transparent and accountable, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has said. The Ombudsman has issued the reminder following a complaint about Birmingham City Council, in which a family including a child with disabili ...

London council and care home amend policies after giving confusing information about fees London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and Moreland House care home have agreed to change their charging policies after a resident paid too much for her care, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has said. The council and care home provided a woman’s daughter with confusing and sometimes incorrect ...

Manchester mum had to live in unsafe accommodation for 18 months longer than necessary, Ombudsman says A Manchester mum had to live in an unsuitable and unsafe flat with her disabled son for 18 months longer than she should have, according to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. The family of three, including a son with complex needs and medical conditions, were placed in the two bedro ...

Pregnant woman turned away after Ealing council uses outdated definition of domestic abuse, Ombudsman says Ealing council wrongly turned away a pregnant woman who approached it for help with housing, despite police and other agencies saying it was not safe for her to return to her tenancy in another area. The woman had suffered domestic abuse and harassment at the hands of her former partner, and ...