Case Ref: 23 007 027 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will share this decision with the staff of its Special Educational Needs and Disabilities team to remind them of the statutory Education Health and Care Plan timescales and ensure compliance. The Council will provide the evidence this has happened.

Case Ref: 23 009 842 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• Share this decision with staff and remind them that the Council has a duty to:a) follow the Code when it amends an EHC Plan without a review; andb) retain an oversight of the education of children not in school to ensure that it meets its legal duties.

Case Ref: 23 009 810 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council agreed that it would write to us setting out what further measures it is taking, or proposes to take, to continue to reduce delays in reviews of EHC plans as this was the fifth time in two years we had found fault in this area. It agreed those measures would be specific and contain clear targets in terms of what will be delivered and by when.
• The Council agreed to provide a briefing to caseworkers in its special educational needs service on our expectations when securing advice to inform the content of an EHC Plan (for example, from speech and language specialist services or similar). The briefing would make clear that when making a check if a child is known to a service, this is not the same as seeking ‘advice and information’ about their needs and it must distinguish this in its communications. Where it has decided to seek such advice and information it must secure that within six weeks.

Case Ref: 23 009 725 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to remind complaint handling staff that where fault has been identified, the Council should consider whether the fault has caused injustice and refer to the Ombudsman’s guidance on remedies when considering any remedies.

Case Ref: 23 008 214 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• Review its case note procedures in children's services to ensure there are clear records of decision-making following safeguarding referrals.

Case Ref: 23 003 047 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council will review its processes to ensure in future it acts rationally, follows agreed procedures which are explained to the family and gives clear and logical reasons for its decisions when considering requests for social care support for children.

Case Ref: 23 000 694 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council agreed that it would deliver a briefing to all its Special Educational Needs Caseworkers, responsible for drawing up Education, Care and Health plans for children of pre-school age. This would set out its expectations, taking account of Government guidance and fault found in this case, for naming schools on those plans. This would be to avoid a repeat of the situation where a child could not begin school in reception, because the Council had not yet named a primary school on the plan.

Case Ref: 23 000 046 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Disabled children

• The Council should review the information available to service users and their representatives about the process for finding supported accommodation, the possible funding options and the differences in benefits payable in these circumstances.

Case Ref: 22 017 724 Category: Education Sub Category: School transport

• The Council will review its explanatory notes that are sent to parents with the transport referral form. I recommend the notes on section two make it clear to parents that the Council’s normal practice is to add and remove students from school transport vehicles without consultation with parents.
• The Council will remind staff that they must not make presumptions about what may or may not affect a child (when making decisions about school transport). If there is any doubt at all, they must contact the parent/guardian for clarity or confirmation.
• The Council will share a copy of this decision with relevant staff and management, and discuss it at a team meeting or relevant meeting of staff.

Case Ref: 22 016 964 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• Share the learning from this decision with its SEN team and those officers responsible for making decisions about and arranging alternative provision; and
• Review its guidance, and remind its officers, about the Council’s statutory duty to provide a suitable education for children who for whatever reason cannot attend school, even when they are still on the school’s roll.