East Sussex County Council (23 011 145)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 18-Apr-2024

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to provide a suitable education for her son for the past four years causing distress and social isolation. The Council failed to provide any education provision from May 2023 to January 2024, wrongly requested Miss X put a review request in writing causing delay and failed to identify a suitable school placement since August 2021. A suitable remedy for the injustice caused by this fault is agreed.

East Sussex County Council (23 005 404)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 08-May-2024

Summary: Mrs M complains her daughter, G, has not received suitable education since she became unable to attend school in Year 7. There is much to commend in the Council’s response to G’s absence from school. The Council played an active role in coordinating efforts to try to secure G’s reintegration to school, and later in arrangements for G’s education out of school. The Council has kept G’s case under regular review, and overseen increases in provision as her ability to participate has increased. However, there was a delay holding a multi-professionals meeting to decide the next steps when attempts to secure G’s return to school proved unsuccessful. We have made recommendations.

East Sussex County Council (23 015 102)

Statement Upheld School admissions 29-May-2024

Summary: We found fault on Mr B’s complaint about the appeal panel failing to properly consider his appeal against the decision to refuse his son a Year 4 place at his preferred school. We found fault in the decision making by the panel and with the clerk’s record keeping. The agreed action remedies the injustice caused.

East Sussex County Council (23 015 765)

Statement Upheld Charging 30-Jun-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs C’s complaint about delay in calculating her father’s, Mr D’s care costs, or the way the Council communicated with her. This is because further investigation by us could not add to the Council’s responses. We are satisfied with the actions taken by the Council regarding the failings and could achieve no more.

East Sussex County Council (23 014 977)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 11-Jul-2024

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council delayed putting in place alternative provision for her daughter, M after she stopped attending school in September 2023. The Council was at fault. It delayed putting alternative provision in place between September 2023 and February 2024. The Council agreed to make payments to Mrs X to acknowledge the impact this had on M’s education and for the distress and uncertainty caused.

East Sussex County Council (23 009 164)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 18-Jul-2024

Summary: There was delay in putting alternative education in place when a child was unable to attend school due to anxiety and when the Council had ‘off-rolled’ the child from their school. The Council will apologise, make a symbolic payment and carry out service improvements.

East Sussex County Council (24 005 305)

Statement Upheld Highway repair and maintenance 14-Aug-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a road being obstructed and damage being caused by an overgrown area of land near the complainant’s property. The Council has taken satisfactory action to address the complaint, and any residual injustice is not significant enough to justify pursuing in isolation.

East Sussex County Council (23 015 944)

Statement Upheld Assessment and care plan 15-Aug-2024

Summary: Miss X complained about a lack of care hours provided by the Council for her son. She said the Council has refused extra care hours and had not allocated a social worker. Miss X said this has delayed a care review being completed. We find the Council was at fault. This caused significant distress to Miss X and her son. The Council has agreed to make several recommendations to address this injustice caused by fault.

East Sussex County Council (24 002 429)

Statement Upheld Other 29-Sep-2024

Summary: Ms K complained about the way the Council communicated with her late aunt’s family when it applied for Power of Attorney, and after her death. We found some fault in the Council’s actions after Ms K’s aunt’s death. The Council has already offered a fitting remedy, so we do not recommend anything further.

East Sussex County Council (23 017 182)

Statement Upheld Direct payments 08-Oct-2024

Summary: Mrs Y complained on behalf of her mother, Mrs X. Mrs Y complained about how the Council dealt with securing a residential care home for Mrs X and how it dealt with her care charges. There were some faults by the Council which caused injustice to Mrs Y. The Council will take action to remedy the injustice caused.