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.

Case Ref: 21 001 703 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Domiciliary care

• the Council will remind staff (including management) to speak to the person who is the subject of a safeguarding referral or enquiry.
• the Council will remind staff (including management) to make sure they tell the person who is the subject of a safeguarding referral or enquiry the outcome, regardless of whether they are the person who made the referral.

Case Ref: 21 001 022 Category: Education Sub Category: COVID-19

• The Council will remind officers that when arranging alternative provision the Council should ensure it records how it will arrange or secure the provision in a young person’s EHC plan.

Case Ref: 20 013 285 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council agreed to review the way it communicates with people receiving adult social care services about charging and their potential contribution to the cost of care at the time it assesses their eligible needs, to avoid misunderstanding and confusion.

Case Ref: 20 012 908 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will share this decision to the Council officers dealing with cases of this nature and emphasise the Council’s legal position when considering whether a child with no capacity is ordinarily resident in the Council’s area.