Service improvements

Southend-on-Sea City Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022

Find out more about service improvements

When we find fault, we can recommend improvements to systems and processes where they haven’t worked properly, so that others do not suffer from these same problems in future. Common examples are policy changes; procedural reviews; and staff training. Service improvements from decisions are published for 5 years and those from reports are published for 10 years.

Showing 1 - 3 of 3 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for Southend-on-Sea City Council as a CSV file.

  • Southend-on-Sea City Council (21 005 548)

    Category: Education Date: 24-Feb-2022

    Summary

    Ms A complains the Council failed to provide the provision in Child X’s Educational Health and Care plan. Ms A complains this means her son has missed education and support he should have been receiving. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for failing to provide the agreed provision, and for failing to provide suitable alternative provision in the interim. The Council has agreed to provide a financial remedy in recognition of the lost provision and distress caused. The Council has also agreed to consider service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff of their duties under the Children Act 1996 to provide alternative provision when a child is out of school. The Council will consider sharing a copy of our focus report ‘Out of school…. Out of mind?’ and our final decision with the reminder. Staff should include, but not be limited to: • SENDIASS. • The Council education legal intervention team. • The resolution team within the education and skills directorate.The Council has agreed to review the approach it takes to the provision of alternative education for children who are not in school for whatever reason. It should provide training and appropriate guidance to staff. It should tell us of the action taken.The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff of the importance of meeting timescales set out in its complaint procedure and updating complainants where there are unavoidable delays.

  • Southend-on-Sea City Council (20 010 865)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 03-Mar-2022

    Summary

    Ms X complained the Council did not provide appropriate support to meet her child, Y’s, needs. She said it also did not complete a parent carer assessment with her and about poor complaint handling. There was no fault in how the Council assessed Y’s needs and decided they were not eligible for social support. However, it failed to refer them for a mentor as agreed, did not complete an adequate parent carer assessment with Ms X and delayed investigating her complaint. The Council will offer to refer Y for a mentor if still appropriate, complete a parent carer assessment with Ms X and pay Ms X £200 in acknowledgement of the frustration and uncertainty caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council will review how it completes parent carer assessments. It will ensure it appropriately assesses the needs of parents as carers and records its consideration of the parents needs and any agreed support.

  • Southend-on-Sea City Council (20 005 109)

    Category: Adult care services Date: 28-Jul-2021

    Summary

    The Council failed to coordinate some aspects of Mr Y’s transition from education into adult services. There is evidence of delay, confusion, and poor communication in the assessment process. This caused Mr Y and his father avoidable frustration and uncertainty.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed take action to improve its procedures around transition planning. The Council will remind its senior managers and officers of the requirements of the Care Act and the Special educational needs and disability code of practice. The Council could do so either through staff training or producing a clear process map/procedure for its officers to follow when planning for the transition of a service user with an EHC Plan into adult social care.

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