Case Ref: 23 006 665 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will review its procedures for carrying out due-diligence when concerns are raised that a child is not receiving education in line with an Education, Health and Care Plan. This is to ensure processes are in place for the Council to take action at an early stage, and if necessary consider whether alternative provision is appropriate.

Case Ref: 23 005 512 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will review why it took three months to issue its decision to amend a child's Education, Health and Care Plan. If the Council identifies flaws in its process or areas for improvement, it will prepare an action plan setting out how it will address those issues.

Case Ref: 23 003 197 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• Issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they aware of • The Councils duty to issue the amended EHC plan as soon as practicable and within eight weeks of the date it sent the EHC plan and proposed amendments to the parents;• the Council’s duties under section 19 of the Education Act 1996 to provide provision or suitable education for children of compulsory age who cannot attend school because of exclusion, medical reasons or otherwise.

Case Ref: 23 002 802 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• Review its policy relating to its funding arrangements with a view to mitigating any possible delays in future. The Council should inform the Ombudsman of the outcome of its review.

Case Ref: 23 000 771 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• Review its processes to ensure when a child is unable to attend a school alternative education provided by the Council is suitable, fulltime and on par with what a child would receive within school and that alternative provision is put in place without delay.
• Remind relevant officers of the need to finalise Education, Health and Care Plans within the statutory timescales.

Case Ref: 22 017 603 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will remind relevant staff to finalise Education, Health and Care plans within the statutory timescales and to check the school or college named in section I is appropriate for the person's age and stage of education, especially where it is a continuation of a placement for post 19 education. The Council will also remind relevant staff to ensure young people and their parents are kept regularly informed during the Education, Health and Care plan review process, especially where it continues outside of the statutory timescales.

Case Ref: 22 017 249 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to remind relevant Special Educational Needs and Disabilities staff of the duty to consider alternative provision in line with statutory guidance once it becomes aware a child is not attending school.
• The Council has agreed to explain to the Ombudsman what action it has taken or intends to take to reduce delays in issuing amended Education, Health and Care plans following annual reviews.

Case Ref: 22 016 710 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• The Council has agreed to arrange training to ensure council officers are aware of the Council's duties under Section 19 of The Education Act 1996 to provide provision or suitable education for children of compulsory age who cannot attend school because of exclusion, medical reasons or otherwise.

Case Ref: 22 014 564 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will review its procedures for consulting for new education placements for children with Education, Health and Care plans. In particular, it will ensure its staff are consulting early enough and with sufficient providers to prevent unnecessary delays in children accessing a new education placement.
• The Council will remind all its Special Educational Needs staff that it is the Council’s duty to ensure children receive the provision set out in their Education, Health and Care plans, and an appropriate education under section 19 of the Education Act, and that those duties cannot be delegated to a school.
• The Council will discuss the findings of an investigation in to how it issued an Education, Health and Care plan, a suitable education and specialist education for a child at an appropriate committee or cabinet meeting. This is to ensure the Council's leaders are aware of the delay finalising the Education,Health and Care plan, its poor communication with the family and its failure to provide a child with suitable education. The Council will consider if additional actions are needed to improve its services.

Case Ref: 22 014 218 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will send written reminders to relevant staff of the Council’s responsibilities under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 when it is made aware a child is attending school part-time. This should cover what the Council should consider when assessing the suitability of education and whether to provide or work towards full-time education for the child.