Case Ref: 24 003 150 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Child protection

• Remind relevant staff via training, or a briefing paper, of the statutory guidance Getting the best from Complaints as well as drawing their attention to the Ombudsman's practitioner's guidance.

Case Ref: 23 021 398 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council agreed to share a copy of our final decision with staff in its Children’s Complaints Team. It will remind them that where a complainant has appealed about an Education, Health, and Care Plan to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability), this does not prevent the Council from considering how it should remedy injustice caused by delays before the appealable decision.

Case Ref: 23 019 374 Category: Education Sub Category: School transport

• The Council will remind staff about the importance of providing clear information to school transport appeal panels about the availability of spaces in schools, especially when the Council is refusing transport on the basis there is a closer school with availability. If there is conflicting information (i.e. between the parent and the Council) the Council should obtain up to date information directly from the school.

Case Ref: 23 018 857 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Transport

• The Council will review its assessment procedures to ensure all Blue Badge applications involving a hidden disability are assessed using the relevant assessment tool at both the initial application and review stages of the process.

Case Ref: 23 017 650 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• The Council will carry out a review of this case and draw up an action plan to address any learning points. The Council should then provide evidence to the Ombudsman of the action it has taken to address the issues that have arisen in this case.

Case Ref: 23 014 261 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council will send a reminder to staff in adult social care. That will cover the need to recognise what constitutes a financial change of circumstances for those who are receiving a chargeable service and the need to tell the service user a financial change in circumstances may result in a change to their assessed charge.
• The Council agreed to send a reminder to its adult social care teams to ensure information is shared with the financial assessment team to prevent any unnecessary debt.
• The Council agreed to send a reminder to those dealing with complaints about the importance of considering all the concerns and offering a resolution at an early stage.

Case Ref: 23 013 508 Category: Education Sub Category: School transport

• The Council will issue written reminders to relevant officers and panel members who deal with home to school transport appeals to ensure they are aware parents can appeal about the suitability of the collection and drop off times from any proposed travel arrangements.

Case Ref: 23 013 257 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council agreed to review what happened in this case to establish why it failed to respond to the complaint. It will identify any changes needed to its complaint handling process to prevent similar issues in future.

Case Ref: 23 013 236 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• The Council agreed to issue a reminder to all staff in its Special Educational Needs and Disabilities service that where it decides to issue an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) Plan following an EHC needs assessment, the family has the right to request a Personal Budget, and the Council must properly consider and respond to this request. With this staff reminder, it will also share a copy of the Ombudsman’s November 2023 Focus Report, ‘Parent Power: personal budgets in EHC Plans’.
• The Council agreed to review the process it follows after it issues a final Education, Health, and Care (EHC) Plan, to ensure it meets its duty to immediately secure the special educational needs provision in the Plan. It will:specifically consider its practice where a child is out of school or not engaging with education. It will ensure it properly considers to what extent it can deliver the EHC Plan and makes a record of this consideration; anddecide whether it needs to make any administrative changes to its processes, or deliver training to staff, to ensure this is not missed in future.
• The Council agreed to issue a reminder to staff in its Children’s Complaints Team, about the importance of responding to all issues raised in a complaint, so complainants do not need to escalate their concerns to get a response.

Case Ref: 23 012 748 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will review its staff guidance and processes so EHC assessments and reassessments are completed on time and the Regulations and Code are followed when seeking advice, to include discussing the range of advice with parents and including their representations in documentation sent to professionals.
• The Council will review its staff guidance and processes to ensure it monitors and reviews the level of education provided to children educated otherwise than at school and to ensure all provision and therapies are in place.
• The Council will remind staff of the importance of complying with Ombudsman recommendations to avoid repeat complaints.