Somerset County Council (22 003 419)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 27-Apr-2023

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to provide provision in her son B’s Education, Health and Care Plan and failed to adhere to statutory time limits during the annual review process. We find the Council was at fault for failing to secure alternative provision and for failing to meet statutory time limits in the annual review process. The Council has agreed to remedy the injustice caused.

Somerset County Council (22 011 101)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 03-May-2023

Summary: Ms D complained the Council delayed issuing her son J’s EHC plan, failed to communicate with her and failed to ensure he had a suitable education. The Council has accepted the statutory deadline was missed and that there were poor communications, causing distress. We found it failed to properly consider whether J was receiving a suitable education. But I do not find fault caused J to miss out on education. The Council has agreed apologise to Ms D and J and make a payment to remedy the distress and uncertainty caused.

Somerset County Council (22 013 202)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 04-May-2023

Summary: The Council was at fault for delays in finalising an Education, Health and Care plan for Mrs X’s daughter. The delays meant Mrs X was denied her appeal right and was left with the uncertainty of future education provision. There was also fault in the Council not delivering suitable provision when it was aware Mrs X’s daughter was not able to go to school. The Council has already apologised for delays and has agreed to pay Mrs X a financial remedy to properly recognise the injustice.

Somerset County Council (21 016 864)

Statement Upheld Assessment and care plan 14-May-2023

Summary: The Council was at fault for the way it delivered care to
Mr B for long periods between March and November 2021. Care visits were regularly too early, delayed or missed altogether, and – despite the Council’s best efforts – for two months Mr B had no weekend care at all. Because the lack of alternatives, the Council also left Mr B in a position where he felt he had to accept a direct payment. It has agreed to apologise and to make a symbolic payment to recognise
Mr B’s injustice.

Somerset County Council (22 001 872)

Statement Upheld Disabled facilities grants 15-Jun-2023

Summary: Mr X complained the Council delayed carrying out adaptations required by his mother, Ms Y, to meet her care needs. The Council was at fault for the delay in carrying out the adaptations and for poor communication. It has agreed to apologise to Mrs Y and pay her £3850 to acknowledge the distress, frustration and impact upon Mrs Y’s dignity this caused. It has also agreed to review its procedures.

Somerset County Council (22 013 514)

Statement Upheld Other 12-Jul-2023

Summary: Mrs X and Ms Y complained about the Council’s involvement with Ms Y’s family. There was no fault with how the Council carried out a child and family assessment. There was some fault with how the Council shared distressing information with Mrs X and failed to carry out some direct work with her. This caused Mrs X some avoidable distress for which the Council has agreed to apologise.

Somerset County Council (22 016 528)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 02-Aug-2023

Summary: Miss X complained there was delay in the process of reviewing and updating her son’s EHC plan. She also complained that communication was poor. We found there was fault by the Council and we upheld both elements of Miss X’s complaint. We recommended a written apology and a payment to reflect the distress this caused. We noted the Council was in the process of recruiting more staff to improve the situation.

Somerset County Council (22 017 654)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 02-Aug-2023

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to secure education provision for her daughter since January 2022 and delayed in amending her Education, Health and Care Plan. She says this caused distress to both herself and her daughter. There was delay in amending the EHC plan and a lack of suitable education throughout 2022. A suitable remedy for the injustice caused is agreed.

Somerset County Council (22 016 033)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 08-Aug-2023

Summary: Mr F complains that the Council delayed issuing his son’s amended EHC plan after the 2022 annual review. We found there was fault which has caused uncertainty to Mr F and his son. The Council will make a symbolic payment to them to remedy this distress.

Somerset County Council (22 015 725)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 15-Aug-2023

Summary: We have upheld a complaint from Mrs X, that the Council did not properly consider requests she made that it should seek specialist advice as part of an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment for her daughter. It also delayed in issuing an EHC plan. These faults caused uncertainty for Mrs X and delayed her ability to appeal the EHC plan which later succeeded, thereby causing her a further injustice. The Council accepts these findings. At the end of this statement, we set out the action it has agreed to remedy this injustice.