Case Ref: 20 001 982 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Safeguarding

• The Council will provide details of training completed on the Mental Health Act.
• The Council will provide details of the improved methods of record keeping.

Case Ref: 20 000 918 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Safeguarding

• Show the Ombudsman the outcome of its review into its practices around safeguarding enquiries, and any action it intends to take to improve the services, including how it deals with serial allegations and its communications with the alleged perpetrator.

Case Ref: 20 000 831 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Adoption

• The Council will review its adoption recruitment procedure to ensure it adheres to the Department of Education's 2013 statutory guidance on adoption.

Case Ref: 19 019 068 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• Review the guidance to relevant staff when a person in receipt of direct payments goes into hospital or goes abroad.

Case Ref: 20 005 312 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will review its processes for Education, Health and Care Plans to ensure case officers know to discuss the range of advice to be sought during an Education, Health and Care assessment with parents, the young person and professionals; and ensure advice obtained is properly specified and quantified, providing advice to professionals if needed, so detailed Education, Health and Care Plans can be written
• The Council will review its processes for Education, Health and Care Plans to ensure case officers are fully aware of the Council’s duties under s.42 of the Children and Families Act and check that special educational provision is in place when a new Plan is issued.
• The Council will review its processes for Education, Health and Care Plans to ensure case officers keep families informed throughout the Education, Health and Care process including explaining when delays occur.
• The Council will review its processes for Education, Health and Care Plans to ensure where the Council wishes to use panels this does not delay the issue of Education, Health and Care Plans or the start of provision; and case officers and panels check the type of setting and do not make assumptions about the delegated funding available.
• The Council will review its processes for Education, Health and Care Plans to ensure Education, Health and Care Plans correctly state the type of setting attended and the wording in all sections of the Plan reflect this; and complaint properly investigate complaints about a failure to secure special educational provision including seeking evidence from settings where necessary.

Case Ref: 19 014 491 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council has agreed to consider whether the process of arranging direct payments can be streamlined and improved in any way to ensure payments are made more quickly and more accurately.

Case Ref: 19 012 107 Category: Education Sub Category: Other

• Revise corporate complaints policy to ensure there are clear timescales and progressions at all stages.

Case Ref: 19 011 371 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• The Council will take steps to ensure staff are aware of their legal duties to ensure children are in school or otherwise receiving suitable education. And inform the Ombudsman of the action taken.
• Take steps to ensure staff are aware of the need to consult with schools in line with the SEN Code of Practice. And inform the Ombudsman of the action taken.

Case Ref: 19 011 176 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• Review the complaints process to provide a check to ensure complaints are not missed
• Remind staff about the Choice of Accommodation regulations, the process officers should follow, and the importance of recording how officers have reached decisions.
• Remind staff about communicating, where possible in writing, reasons for decisions.

Case Ref: 18 007 413 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Disabled facilities grants

• The Council has agreed to (a) ensure its HIA has a complaints policy, and (b) the policy is explained on its website.