Suffolk County Council (25 007 186)

Statement Upheld Assessment and care plan 30-Mar-2026

Summary: The Council was at fault in delaying the review of Ms X’s Care and Support Plan and in assessing her for, and arranging, adaptations to her bathroom. The Council did not unfairly restrict her access to its services. The Council should agree to apologise to Ms X and make her symbolic payments to acknowledge the injustice caused.

Suffolk County Council (25 016 782)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 18-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s delay in reviewing her child’s education, health and care plan. The Council has accepted fault and provided a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused. Further investigation by us is unlikely to achieve anything more. It would have been reasonable for Miss X to appeal to the Tribunal if she still disagreed with the final education, health and care plan.

Suffolk County Council (25 006 267)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 16-Mar-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to secure suitable education provision for her child, Y. The Council delayed issuing Y’s amended Education, Health and Care Plan for 21 weeks following an annual review. This caused Mrs X frustration, uncertainty and delayed her right of appeal to the Tribunal. The Council has already remedied the injustice caused to Mrs X.

Suffolk County Council (25 014 185)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 12-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s delay in issuing a final Education, Health and Care Plan for Mr X’s child and failure to ensure the provision in the Plan was made. The Council has offered a proportionate remedy for Mr X and his child’s injustice.

Suffolk County Council (25 014 130)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 07-Mar-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Education, Health and Care plan process. This is because the Council has offered an appropriate remedy for the injustice caused by the delay. Investigation by the Ombudsman would not lead to a different outcome.

Suffolk County Council (25 007 020)

Statement Upheld School transport 05-Mar-2026

Summary: Ms X complained about the way the Council dealt with school transport for her son, Y, who has an education, health and care plan. The Council was at fault for failing to apply the correct legal tests when amending the education, health and care plan and making the school transport decision. This caused Ms X frustration and uncertainty. The Council should apologise, review Ms X’s application again, make a payment and make service improvements.

Suffolk County Council (25 007 182)

Statement Upheld Child protection 19-Feb-2026

Summary: Miss X complained the Council refused to investigate her complaint about how it handled matters in 2009. We find the Council at fault for how it decided not to investigate and for failing to give Miss X an adequate explanation for that decision. This caused Miss X distress and undermined her trust in the Council. The Council will apologise and reconsider its decision on whether to investigate. It will also ensure it has internal guidance for historic abuse complaints.

Suffolk County Council (25 021 841)

Statement Upheld Other 17-Feb-2026

Summary: We have discontinued our investigation into the Council’s handling of Mr X’s complaint. The Council has agreed to issue its complaint response to Mr X without further delay. It will also offer him a symbolic financial remedy for his injustice. This means there is no good reason for us to be prematurely involved with the complaint.

Suffolk County Council (25 002 884)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 16-Feb-2026

Summary: Mr X complains on behalf of his son Y that the Council failed to provide the salt and language therapy provision in Y’s Education Health and Care Plan for several years impacting on Y’s progress with communication and education and causing stress to Mr X. We found fault by the Council as it did not make the salt and language therapy provision between September 2024 to March 2025, but this did not cause a significant injustice to Mr X and Y. So, we have completed our investigation.

Suffolk County Council (25 002 337)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 13-Feb-2026

Summary: The Council delayed deciding whether to issue Miss X’s child, Y with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan within statutory timescales. This was caused by a 17 week delay in obtaining Educational Psychologist (EP) advice and a further delay of 12 weeks to issue the final Plan with EP advice in hand. The Council was also at fault for failing to decide whether it should put alternative provision in place for Y when it was aware in January 2025 that Y was not in school. The Council has already apologised to Miss X and provided a suitable payment to remedy the injustice caused.