Kent County Council
Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics
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Complaints upheld
81% Complaints upheld by Kent County Council
81% of complaints we investigated were upheld.
This compares to an average of 85% in similar authorities.
76 upheld decisions
View upheld decisionsAdjusted for Kent County Council's population, this is
4.8 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.The average for authorities of this type is
4.5 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.Statistics are based on a total of 94 investigations for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Compliance with Ombudsman recommendations
98% of cases were successfully implemented by Kent County Council
98% of cases we were satisfied the Council had successfully implemented our recommendations.
This compares to an average of 100% in similar authorities.
Statistics are based on a total of 63 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council
3% Complaints with satisfactory remedy provided by Kent County Council
In 3% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.
This compares to an average of 7% in similar authorities.
2 satisfactory remedy decisions
Statistics are based on a total of 76 upheld decisions for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
View all satisfactory remedy decisions
Annual letters
We write to councils each year to give a summary of the complaint statistics we record about them,
and their performance in responding to our investigations.
Public reports ?Find out more about public reports
In the last nine years, the Ombudsman has published the following public interest reports against Kent County Council
Ombudsman investigation reveals 170 delayed complaints in Kent
A Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation has uncovered a backlog of 170 unanswered children’s services and education complaints in Kent.
Kent couple lost valuable time together because of council errors
A Kent couple lost valuable time together after the council placed one partner in a care home against her wishes following a hospital stay, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found.
Councils urged to learn from Ombudsman investigation into child abuse complaint
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman is urging councils to place children at the centre of decision making in cross border child protection cases, after a suicidal teenager was left without appropriate support when she reported serious sexual abuse.
Councils urged to check their parking policies following Ombudsman investigation
Councils across England are being urged to ensure they are using the correct legislation to issue parking fines at country parks following a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation into Kent County Council.
Parents need to be supported to balance care and work needs, Ombudsman says
Parents of children with disabilities should be supported to balance their care and working needs, the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) has said.
Service improvements ?Find out more about service improvements
Since April 2018, the Council has agreed to make the following improvements to its services following an Ombudsman investigation. We list up to 10 cases below – click ‘view all’ if there are more.
Case reference: 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 reference: 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 reference: 23 021 125
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Assessment and care plan
- The Council will issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they are aware they must progress a service user’s request for an assisted living placement without undue delay.
Case reference: 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 reference: 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 reference: 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 reference: 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 reference: 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 reference: 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 reference: 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.
Last updated: 4 April 2015