Case Ref: 24 007 591 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council agreed that it would review why in this case, it had not earlier identified if the complainant had care and support needs as they approached their 25th birthday and their Education, Care and Health Plan came to an end. This would be to consider if there were any systemic communication problems between children and adult care services. Also, it would review the guidance it gives to those who complete adult care needs assessments for those transitioning between children and adult care services, to see if this needed any improvement.
• The Council agreed that it would deliver a briefing to staff who undertake adult care needs assessments to advise of three key findings from this investigation. First, that they should consider carefully the appropriateness of undertaking a telephone assessment with a user of services who is deaf, even if that person has support with communication needs. This was after the Council decided to reduce a package of care to the complainant who was deaf, saying it did not think their 'voice' came across in an assessment which it had decided to conduct by phone.
• Second, that staff would be reminded of the need to set realistic personal budgets for those whose care needs may demand a specialist skill set from those who support them. This case highlighted the complainant needed support from a personal assistant who could use British Sign Language as well as understand the complainant's other needs, which was always likely to cost more than using a personal assistant without that specialist knowledge.
• Third, that staff needed to keep a clear audit trail of decisions to explain their rationale when amending proposed package of care. In this case the complainant was offered several different care packages in a matter of weeks and the reasons for this were not clear. Nor had the Council recorded their response, or that of their representative, to these different offers.

Case Ref: 24 007 173 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• Within three months, the Council will review the timeline of this matter, identify all avoidable delay and share its learnings with relevant staff. The importance of dealing with transfer requests efficiently, especially where there are safeguarding concerns should be emphasised.

Case Ref: 24 005 209 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will remind staff that when they receive a request for an amendment to a child or young person's Education, Health and Care Plan, they should decide whether to hold an annual review to consider that request.

Case Ref: 24 001 992 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• The Council will remind officers dealing with EHC Plans of the need to ensure the timescales set out in the statutory guidance are followed.

Case Ref: 24 000 956 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Child protection

• The Council will remind its complaints handling staff to properly consider whether a new complaint is different to previous or ongoing complaints from a complainant. If there are parts which has not been addressed through the complaints process, it should investigate and respond within the timescales for the children’s statutory complaints process, or its corporate complaints process (as appropriate).

Case Ref: 24 000 842 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• In writing, remind officers to consider all information available to them when reaching a decision and keep detailed decision-making notes.

Case Ref: 24 000 198 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council will also remind staff (either through a team meeting, a briefing paper or staff circular) about the preventative duty and the need to refer service users for benefit advice when necessary.

Case Ref: 23 018 832 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• Review its communication methods with staff, reminding them to check and re-check information before sending it out. This should particularly focus on the period of time leading up to the issuing of an EHC Plan.
• Review its methods of assessing whether it owes a section 19 duty to children out of education. This should include the assessment, decision making, recording and communication to the parents.

Case Ref: 23 011 833 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council will provide training/guidance to remind staff that where it has reason to believe someone may be eligible for assistance, homeless and may be in priority need, it has a duty to provide interim accommodation while it makes inquiries into what duty it owes. Reason to believe is a low bar. An offer of interim accommodation should be a specific property that is actually available to the individual and suitable for their household.

Case Ref: 23 009 961 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• Remind relevant staff of the importance of effective complaint handling.
• Remind relevant staff of the importance of completing annual reviews in line with legislation.
• Remind relevant staff of the importance of issuing decision letters within timescales after annual review meetings.