Suffolk County Council (24 014 167)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 06-Apr-2025

Summary: We have found fault (service failure) with the Council for failing to process Mrs X’s son’s Education, Health and Care Plan within the statutory timescales. This caused Mrs X uncertainty and frustration. The Council has agreed to remedy Mrs X’s injustice.

Suffolk County Council (24 014 322)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 08-Apr-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about delays in providing an education to her child. The Council has accepted fault and its offer to remedy the complaint meets with our guidance on remedies. We are unlikely to achieve more.

Suffolk County Council (24 018 545)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 08-Apr-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about delays in producing an Education Health and Care Plan as the Council has agreed to a proportionate way to resolve the complaint.

Suffolk County Council (24 008 929)

Statement Upheld Other 16-Apr-2025

Summary: Mrs X complains that the Council failed to provide any support for her wellbeing when it carried out a parent carer needs assessment. The Council was at fault as it failed to consider Mrs X’s circumstances and fettered its discretion when refusing to provide financial support to meet Mrs X’s eligible outcomes. This fault caused distress and uncertainty to Mrs X. The Council has agreed to remedy the injustice to Mrs X by apologising and considering again what support it can offer Mrs X to meet her eligible outcomes as a result of caring for two of her children.

Suffolk County Council (24 015 692)

Statement Upheld Charging 12-May-2025

Summary: Mrs X complains about how the Council carried out financial assessments for her sons, Mr Y and Mr Z. Mrs X says this has resulted in them being charged for care. We find fault with the Council for its communication about charges, and its consideration of Mrs X’s complaint. We agreed the Council will apologise to Mrs X and carry out service improvements.

Suffolk County Council (24 011 718)

Statement Upheld Fostering 21-May-2025

Summary: Mr and Mrs X complained the Council failed to consider their human rights and the fostering services national minimum standards during the Local Authority Designated Officer process. They also say the Council did not give them an opportunity to respond to the allegations against them until it concluded the process. We find the Council was at fault for failing to follow its guidance and tell Mr and Mrs X about the allegations before it concluded the process. This caused Mr and Mrs X distress, upset and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to apologise to Mr and Mrs X, make a payment to them and implement service improvements.

Suffolk County Council (25 001 625)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 27-May-2025

Summary: We upheld Mrs X’s complaint about delays in the Education, Health and Care needs assessment process because the Council upheld the complaint and apologised. We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about an Educational Psychology report because Mrs X appealed to a Tribunal.

Suffolk County Council (24 008 195)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 01-Jun-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained about how the Council handled her son’s Education, Health and Care Plan process. We have found fault with the Council for failing to meet statutory timescales which delayed Mrs X’s right of appeal and caused Mrs X and her son distress and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to remedy this injustice.

Suffolk County Council (24 010 672)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 09-Jun-2025

Summary: The Council failed to arrange the transitional support that Ms X’s child, G, needed when they started school. The Council also failed to communicate with Ms X properly, delayed consulting alternative schools and delayed issuing G’s Education Health and Care Plan. The Council’s faults caused G to miss out on a term of transitional support and caused Ms X and G frustration and uncertainty. To recognise the injustice caused, the Council has agreed to apologise, pay Ms X £800 and take action to improve its services.

Suffolk County Council (24 008 302)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 15-Jun-2025

Summary: Mr X complained about the delay in the Council issuing his son’s Education, Health and Care Plan. We found fault because of the significant delay in completing the assessment process and issuing a final plan for Mr X’s son. This caused avoidable distress, frustration and uncertainty to Mr X. To remedy the injustice caused, the Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to Mr X.