Case Ref: 21 006 888 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council has agreed to: •by training or other means remind staff of the importance of meeting the Council’s complaint procedure timescales

Case Ref: 21 002 128 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Direct payments

• Provide training to its staff about the importance of record keeping

Case Ref: 20 011 531 Category: Education Sub Category: COVID-19

• The Council will provide the Ombudsman with an update on its progress with the action plan it developed following the independent review of its SEND service in 2021.
• The Council will remind officers investigating complaints about the Ombudsman’s ‘Guidance on Effective Complaint Handling in Local Authorities’ which gives advice on what to include in decision letters.

Case Ref: 20 010 859 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Child protection

• The Council has agreed to: by training or other means remind staff of the importance of meeting the Council’s complaint procedure timescales.

Case Ref: 21 007 265 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council agreed to provide training to special educational needs staff to ensure awareness of the Council's legal duties under the Education Act 1996 and the expectations set out in the Ombudsman's focus report.

Case Ref: 21 005 081 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will remind relevant staff of the importance of issuing EHC plans within the timescales set out in the code of practice.

Case Ref: 21 003 447 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Direct payments

• The Council has agreed to review its processes to ensure that any changes to direct payments are clearly communicated and only take effect following a review.

Case Ref: 21 003 276 Category: Education Sub Category: COVID-19

• The Council will provide evidence to the Ombudsman of its reminder to staff about recording communication with families and information about dealing with transfers of Education, Health and Care Plans from other local authorities.
• The Council will remind staff about the duty to consult the schools that parents ask to be named in their child's Education, Health and Care Plan, rather than making their own decision about the suitability of the school without consulting.

Case Ref: 21 002 940 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Direct payments

• The Council agreed to remind staff to refer complainants to the Ombudsman in all final complaint responses. The referral should include details of how complainants can complain to us.

Case Ref: 21 002 326 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• The Council has agreed to improve its process to assess whether children are receiving the correct provision.