Case Ref: 24 020 292 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council will provide a copy of the staff reminder about third party top ups referred to in its complaint correspondence to the Ombudsman.
• The Council will brief relevant staff on the importance of keeping family members informed of progress when carrying out financial assessments.

Case Ref: 24 016 539 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Transition from childrens services

• 3. Within three months of the final decision the Council will:a) provide training/a reminder to staff who respond to complaints about the need to address all substantive complaints or explain why they are not being considered;
• 3. Within three months of the final decision the Council will: b) review the complaints policy so it is in line with government guidance and a one stage response;
• 3. Within three months of the final decision the Council will: c) provide an action plan about how the Council intends to prevent future delays in transition assessment and planning;
• 3. Within three months of the final decision the Council will: d) review this complaint and consider how communication between the parties could have been managed better;
• 3. Within three months of the final decision the Council will: e) remind relevant staff through a staff circular, team meetings, training or supervision about considering when to act on safeguarding alerts where people are vulnerable but have capacity to make decisions, recording safeguarding alerts and follow up action; and providing feedback to people who have made a safeguarding alert;f) remind relevant staff through a staff circular, team meetings, training or supervision about completing capacity assessments when concerns have been raised which rebut the presumption of capacity.

Case Ref: 24 014 134 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will review its process for securing special educational provision when it is aware a child or young person is unable to attend school or is awaiting allocation at a special school. The Council should ensure there is a system in place to secure provision and funding without delay.

Case Ref: 24 013 870 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• Review its procedures for identifying children with EHC plans who are not attending school, to ensure Section 19 duties are considered proactively and without reliance on medical evidence alone. This review should include a clear process for triangulating attendance concerns between schools, SEND services, and attendance officers.
• Remind staff of the statutory requirement to issue a decision within four weeks of annual review meetings, including emergency reviews.

Case Ref: 24 013 283 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council agreed to deliver training to relevant staff about Annex E of the Care and Support Statutory Guidance, and what the Council needs to consider when it suspects someone has deprived themselves of assets to avoid care and support charges.
• The Council agreed to review its process for appeals against financial assessment decisions to ensure this aligns with its published policies.

Case Ref: 24 010 217 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• •Remind relevant staff of the importance of effective complaint handling, adhering to policy and timescales.

Case Ref: 24 007 458 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• The Council agreed to remind relevant complaint officers of the need to follow the Council’s complaints procedure.

Case Ref: 24 008 765 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council should remind relevant staff of its duty to quickly investigate and act on complaints or concerns raised that the provision is not in place at any time. It should consider all the evidence provided.

Case Ref: 24 003 580 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Fostering

• The Council agreed to review its Local Authority Designated Officer Allegations Management Procedures and Guidance documents and leaflets to ensure employers and agencies were clear on their responsibilities during the process.

Case Ref: 23 017 874 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council will write to the Ombudsmen to explain what action it will take to ensure cases are allocated promptly to allow for the timely assessment of a person's care needs in keeping with the requirment of the Care Act 2014. This should include a clear process for dealing with urgent referrals.