Service improvements

Bristol City Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025

Find out more about service improvements

When we find fault, we can recommend improvements to systems and processes where they haven’t worked properly, so that others do not suffer from these same problems in future. Common examples are policy changes; procedural reviews; and staff training. Service improvements from decisions are published for 5 years and those from reports are published for 10 years.

Showing 1 - 6 of 6 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for Bristol City Council as a CSV file.

  • Bristol City Council (24 004 803)

    Category: Education Date: 27-Mar-2025

    Summary

    Mr X complained the Council failed to ensure his child’s nursery provided funded childcare hours free of charge and said the provider instead applied mandatory top-up fees. Because of this, Mr X said that over five months, he was charged £1,173 more than he should have been for childcare hours that should have been free. The Council delayed carrying out an audit into the nursery and this was fault. However it took appropriate action by auditing the provider and instructing it to make changes. The provider still has not made the required changes but this is not due to lack of action by the Council. The Council has agreed to take further steps to bring the childcare provider into compliance.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to demonstrate to the Ombudsman that senior management have taken over the work between the childcare provider and the Council with regards to the nursery's compliance with law and guidance in how it charges parents for funded nursery hours.The Council has agreed to show the Ombudsman what action it has taken to prevent residents using the nursery being charged additional fees on top of childcare hours that should be free. This consideration might include removing the provider from the scheme for funded nursery hours.

  • Bristol City Council (24 004 556)

    Category: Education Date: 21-Nov-2024

    Summary

    Miss X complained the Council failed to secure the special educational needs provision in her child D’s Education, Health, and Care plan. The Council was at fault because it failed to secure the provision in the Plan, which caused D to miss special educational needs provision. It also caused avoidable distress to Miss X. The Council agreed to apologise and pay a financial remedy. It will also review what happened in this case and produce an action plan to prevent similar issues in future.

    Service improvements

    The Council failed to arrange the Occupational Therapy provision in the final Education, Health, and Care Plan for a full year. It agreed to review what happened in this case and produce an action plan, with dates, of steps it needs to take to prevent similar issues in future. As part of this review, it will specifically consider:if there were avoidable delays in searching for an Occupational Therapy provider which should be addressed by changes to administrative processes, or staff training; andif there are steps it should take to address any issues with Occupational Therapy capacity in its area.

  • Bristol City Council (24 003 802)

    Category: Education Date: 11-Feb-2025

    Summary

    The Council took too long to issue an Education Health and Care (EHC) Plan for Ms B’s child. It did not communicate with her properly during this time, nor respond adequately to her complaints. The Council did not do enough to satisfy itself that the provision was being made when Ms B raised concerns. This caused Ms B distress and frustration and it is likely that her child missed out on provision she was entitled to. The Council has agreed to apologise to Ms B and pay her symbolics payment in respect of the distress its failings caused her, and in respect of her child’s missed educational provision; and remind staff to deal with concerns that provision is not being made.

    Service improvements

    The Council will share this decision with staff, and remind relevant staff to be alert to concerns that an EHC Plan is not fully implemented, so the Council can be certain it is meeting its duty to make sure the provision is made.

  • Bristol City Council (24 002 809)

    Category: Education Date: 06-Mar-2025

    Summary

    Mrs X complains the Council has not made alternative education provision for her son. The Council is at fault because it did not properly consider whether it should make alternative education provision. Mrs X suffered avoidable distress and Y missed educational provision. The Council should apologise, pay Mrs X £4,500 and provide guidance to staff.

    Service improvements

    Provide guidance to staff to consider any action required under the Council’s statutory duties when it becomes aware of non-attendance at schools, and to record all actions, communication and decision making as part of this consideration.

  • Bristol City Council (23 017 332)

    Category: Education Date: 28-Jul-2024

    Summary

    We found fault on Ms B’s complaint about the Council failing to consider and decide her request for an Education, Health and Care needs assessment for her daughter C within statutory timescales. The 20-week timescale was missed by seven months. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council agreed to produce an action plan to show how the Council will meet the statutory timescales for all stages of the process, from receiving the request for an Education health care needs assessment, to issuing a final Education health and care plan

  • Bristol City Council (23 017 134)

    Category: Education Date: 20-Aug-2024

    Summary

    The Council failed to make the provision set out in a child’s Education Health and Care Plan when his school placement broke down, including speech and language therapy. The Council made some alternative provision in this time, but it did not consider fully whether this was suitable or a full-time provision. The Council has agreed to take action to remedy the injustice to the child and his family.

    Service improvements

    The Council should share this decision with the relevant staff.

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