Service improvements

Essex County 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 - 10 of 14 cases with service improvements

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

  • Essex County Council (24 008 605)

    Category: Education Date: 06-Mar-2025

    Summary

    Dr P complained about the Council’s failure to provide Speech and Language Therapy as set out in her child’s Education, Health and Support (EHC) Plan and related matters. We found the Council to be at fault. It did not provide enough therapy and took too long to advise Dr P of its intention to amend the EHC Plan. This caused Dr P distress and uncertainty. To remedy this injustice and the impact of the missed provision, the Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment to Dr P and take action to improve its service.

    Service improvements

    The Council will review its procedures to ensure actions required after an annual review are carried out within the legal timeframe.

  • Essex County Council (24 007 940)

    Category: Education Date: 24-Mar-2025

    Summary

    The Council failed to make sure that Mrs B’s son received his full provision as set out in his Education Health and Care Plan. There was fault by the Council because it failed to review and amend the Plan in accordance with government guidance. The lack of support meant that her son failed his college exams and lost his apprenticeship. The Council has improved how it handles transitions for post-16 students, with a new dedicated team. It should also apologise to Mrs B and her son, and make a payment to recognise the impact on them both.

    Service improvements

    Share this decision with relevant staff responsible for maintaining EHC Plans,particularly around transition to different phases of education.Share this decision with relevant staff responsible for dealing with complaints about provision not made under an EHC Plan and remind them that the Council remains responsible for provision under a Plan.

  • Essex County Council (24 001 924)

    Category: Education Date: 08-Nov-2024

    Summary

    Mrs X says the Council has failed to issue her son, Y’s final Education, Health and Care Plan in line with the statutory timescales. Mrs X also says the Council failed to liaise with her preferred school and gave incorrect information about being unable to contact the school. Mrs X says this case her and her family distress. We have found fault in the actions of the Council for delaying in issuing the Education, Health and Care Plan and delaying in contacting Mrs X’s preferred school. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mrs X, pay her a financial payment and complete service improvements.

    Service improvements

    In writing, share this decision with relevant team colleagues to ensure appropriate learning from the investigation.

  • Essex County Council (24 001 603)

    Category: Education Date: 10-Sep-2024

    Summary

    The Council was at fault because it failed to ensure Y received speech and language therapy in line with his Education, Health and Care Plan. This caused a loss of special educational provision, avoidable distress and time and trouble complaining. The Council will apologise and make payments of £100 and £200.

    Service improvements

    The Council will share this statement with staff responsible for drafting complaint responses so they are aware of our expectations when complaint handlers are responding to complaints about commissioned services.

  • Essex County Council (23 020 908)

    Category: Education Date: 30-Jun-2024

    Summary

    Mrs X complains on behalf of her son, Y. Mrs X says the Council failed to provide a finalised Education Health Care Plan after an annual review and failed to provide a completed Educational Health Care Plan for phased transfer. Mrs X says the matter has caused her distress and uncertainty. We have found fault in the actions of the Council for failing to issue a final Education Health Care Plan within the correct timescales. The Council has agreed to issue the plan, pay Mrs X a financial remedy and issue an apology.

    Service improvements

    Provide, if already in existence, or produce a plan detailing what action the Council is taking to address the delays in issuing Education Health and Care Plans and take this plan to the relevant scrutiny committee or panel for this issue.

  • Essex County Council (23 019 010)

    Category: Education Date: 10-Sep-2024

    Summary

    Mrs F complained about the Council’s handling of her son’s education since late 2021. We found the Council at fault for failing to provide all the provision set out in his Education, Health, and Care Plan since January 2024. The Council should apologise and make payment to acknowledge the injustice its faults caused Mrs F and her son. We could not investigate Mrs F’s concerns about her son’s education and her needs assessment requests from before December 2023 as the Council’s decisions carried appeal rights to the SEND Tribunal.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind its SEND staff of the its duty to provide all the special educational needs provision set out in a child, or young persons, Education, Health, and Care plan without delay and ensure the provision identified meets assessed individual needs.The Council will review how it commissions speech and language therapist referrals to ensure assessments are completed without delay following a Tribunal Order or its agreement to do so.

  • Essex County Council (23 018 404)

    Category: Education Date: 04-Jun-2024

    Summary

    Ms X complained about the time taken by the Council to assess her child’s special educational needs and issue an Education, Health and Care plan. Ms X also complained about the standard of communication she received from the Council. As a result, Ms X’s child still does not have a final Education, Health and Care plan. We found the Council was at fault for delays in completing the assessment of her child’s needs and issuing a final Education, Health and Care plan. We also found the Council at fault for its level of communication with Ms X. To remedy the injustice caused the Council agreed to apologise, make payments to Ms X to recognise the delays and distress caused, issue the child with a final Education, Health and Care plan and reimburse Ms X for the private Educational Psychologist report she paid for.

    Service improvements

    Consider what steps it could take to ensure parents are kept updated about any delays completing an Education, Health and Care needs assessment and delays around getting an Educational Psychologist assessment.

  • Essex County Council (23 015 907)

    Category: Education Date: 08-Jul-2024

    Summary

    Ms C complains the Council delayed in assessing X for an Education Health and Care Plan and for failing to keep her informed. The Council is at fault for delays in the assessment process and in keeping Ms C updated. These faults caused Ms C frustration, time and anxiety. To put things right the Council has agreed to make Ms C a symbolic payment and take action to improve services.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to:-a) review how officers respond to complaints to ensure they respond to all parts of the complaint;b) remind staff of the importance of providing updates; andc) remind staff about the importance of creating out of office alerts.

  • Essex County Council (23 014 631)

    Category: Education Date: 27-May-2024

    Summary

    Miss X complained the Council failed to arrange the speech and language therapy set out in her child, Z’s, Education, Health and Care Plan. The Council was at fault. This caused Miss X avoidable frustration and meant Z missed out on provision they needed. To remedy Miss X and Z’s injustice, the Council should apologise and pay Miss X a total of £1650. The Council should also remind its complaints staff that they should consider whether to offer a complainant a remedy when they uphold their complaint.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind complaints staff they should consider whether to make a remedy offer to a complainant when they uphold a complaint.

  • Essex County Council (23 012 821)

    Category: Education Date: 03-Jun-2024

    Summary

    Ms X complained the Council delayed issuing her child, Y with an Education, Health and Care Plan, failed to provide a suitable education from November 2022 until July 2023, and failed to provide the provision in their Plan from September 2023. The Council was at fault. It will apologise to Ms X, pay her £7,950 to recognise the injustice caused to her and Y and provide the missing provision.

    Service improvements

    The Council will review how it considers requests for section 19 alternative provision education from both parents and schools. It will consider how it records its decision making. The Council will identify any improvements it needs to make to that process to ensure it properly considers and responds to the requests. It will provide the Ombudsman with a copy of a timebound action plan to make any improvements it has identified.

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