Case Ref: 25 008 295 Category: Education Sub Category: School transport

• Council has also agreed to amend its policy to allow it discretion to accept late appeals in certain circumstances (within 2 months)

Case Ref: 25 002 762 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council has agreed to remind its relevant officers of the legal requirements and best practice by sharing this decision statement and our guide to help local authorities handle complaints under the children’s services statutory complaints process. It should focus on the parts of the guide that suggest what a council should do if:only some of the complaint comes under the statutory complaints procedure;the complainant adds further issues to their complaint at stage two; andit takes a long time to find an investigating officer or to carry out a stage two adjudication.It should also refer to the key lessons from our investigations listed in the guide.

Case Ref: 25 002 018 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will adhere to published allocations scheme rather than using non-published policy on direct offers of housing

Case Ref: 25 001 722 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• the Council will consider whether it should provide guidance to officers about how they should determine the number of hours tuition to be given, the type of tuition and how often this should be reviewed.

Case Ref: 25 000 945 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to provide a review of the actions it has taken to improve staff knowledge and implementation of the Section 19 policy since April 2025, particularly following the referral to the Standards and Scrutiny Committees in July 2025.

Case Ref: 24 020 298 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will review why the it did not consider Ms X’s complaint under the children’s statutory complaint process. It should then ensure appropriate training or reminders are provided to relevant staff to ensure complaints are correctly considered and responded to under the correct complaints process without delay.

Case Ref: 24 016 644 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• The Council will review its Annual Review process to ensure the relevant team send the parents or the young person the Council’s decision within four weeks from an Annual Review meeting. If the Council intends to amend a child’s EHC Plan, within the same timescale it should also send proposed amendments.
• The Council will remind the SEN staff dealing with Annual Reviews of the mandatory stages of the process and the statutory timescales.

Case Ref: 24 012 183 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council has agreed to remind staff of the need to record all communications with familiesand confirm meeting arrangements.
• The Council has agreed to remind staff dealing with statutory children’s complaints of the criteria for early referral, and the need to consider whether redress for injustice or recommendations for service improvements are appropriate. It will be asking staff to attend our new workshops for complaints relating to children’s services.

Case Ref: 24 011 826 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• The Council will share a copy of the Ombudsman's focus report Out of school, out of sight? with relevant officers, alongside the findings of the Ombudsman's investigation. This is to emphasise the Council's responsibility to decide whether it owes a child a duty under section 19 of the Education Act 1996, as well as the Ombudsman's expectations of good practice in adhering to this duty.

Case Ref: 24 011 434 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has told the Ombudsman about the actions it is taking to address delays within its SEND team. However, considering the significant concerns raised in this case including delays with EHC Plans, lack of alternative provision, and not considering a request for a specialist school, the Council should share this decision with its relevant scrutiny committee or panel.