Suffolk County Council
Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics
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Complaints upheld
86% Complaints upheld by Suffolk County Council
86% of complaints we investigated were upheld.
This compares to an average of 85% in similar authorities.
50 upheld decisions
View upheld decisionsAdjusted for Suffolk County Council's population, this is
6.5 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.The average for authorities of this type is
4.5 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.Statistics are based on a total of 58 investigations for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Compliance with Ombudsman recommendations
100% of cases were successfully implemented by Suffolk County Council
100% of cases we were satisfied the Council had successfully implemented our recommendations.
This compares to an average of 100% in similar authorities.
Statistics are based on a total of 41 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council
18% Complaints with satisfactory remedy provided by Suffolk County Council
In 18% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.
This compares to an average of 7% in similar authorities.
9 satisfactory remedy decisions
Statistics are based on a total of 50 upheld decisions for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
View all satisfactory remedy decisions
Annual letters
We write to councils each year to give a summary of the complaint statistics we record about them,
and their performance in responding to our investigations.
Public reports ?Find out more about public reports
In the last nine years, the Ombudsman has published the following public interest reports against Suffolk County Council
Suffolk to apologise to family for failing to educate girl for 18 months
Suffolk County Council has not done enough to provide an education to a young girl with special educational needs, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found.
Ombudsman tells Suffolk County Council to improve support for children who can’t go to school
Suffolk County Council needs to make improvements “as a priority” to the way it provides alternative education to children who can’t go to school, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has warned.
Suffolk girl with special educational needs left without vital therapy
A Suffolk girl did not receive vital Occupational Therapy for nearly two years because of council confusion, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found.
Ombudsman reminds councils of proper process for supporting vulnerable people at assessment meetings
Councils are being reminded by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that vulnerable people can choose who supports them through care reviews, after Suffolk County Council halted assessments for a couple’s care and support plans because of a dispute.
Autistic teen forced to move schools because of lack of resources
An autistic teenager was moved from her residential special school midway through her studies because of poor planning by Suffolk County Council, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found.
Woman charged for hours of care she did not receive
A Suffolk woman, who was charged for homecare despite workers falsifying records, should have some of her fees refunded, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has said.
Service improvements ?Find out more about service improvements
Since April 2018, the Council has agreed to make the following improvements to its services following an Ombudsman investigation. We list up to 10 cases below – click ‘view all’ if there are more.
Case reference: 23 021 216
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Improvement Board will review this decision to inform its further work on improving the Council's Special Educational Needs and Disabilities services.
Case reference: 23 020 681
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council will review its process of responding to the parental requests for extra assessments during their children’s EHC needs assessments. This is to ensure the Council responds in a timely manner and, when making its decision, applies the test set up in paragraph 9.49 of the SEND Code of Practice based on the SEND Regulations 2014 regulation 6(1)(h). The Council will provide us with the evidence it has done this.
- The Council’s SEND Improvement Board will review this decision to inform its further work on improving the Council’s SEND services. The Council will provide us with the evidence it has happened.
Case reference: 23 019 006
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council will review its procedure for considering and recording section 19 decisions to ensure it is correctly and accurately recording all section 19 decisions.
- The Council will circulate guidance to its Special Educational Needs and inclusion officers about the Council's duty under section 19 of the Education Act 1996 to consider alternative provision from the point it becomes aware a child is out of school and record its decision making on this.
Case reference: 23 018 834
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Assessment and care plan
- The Council has agreed to review its care assessment procedures so that when there will be a delay in allocating a case for assessment, the Council provides clear advice and information about the likely waiting period and addresses any immediate concerns about interim care and finances.
Case reference: 23 016 653
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Charging
- The Council will issue written reminders to relevant officers to ensure they act without undue delay when a service user or their relative asks for a review of a care and support plan.
Case reference: 23 014 802
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Charging
- The Council will remind the Adult Social Care staff of its duty to follow the adjustments agreed for the service users. The staff will review our documents: “Principles of Good Administrative Practice” and “Equal Access: Getting it right for people with disabilities”.
Case reference: 23 005 445
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Assessment and care plan
- The Council will consider the lessons learned from this case, and will confirm the action it has taken to improve services in relation to: • the timescale for allocating cases to social workers • responding to complaints and keeping complainants informed • communicating effectively with linked NHS services and working together in a co-ordinated and patient-centred way
Case reference: 23 006 191
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council has agreed to proivde an update with its progress in improving its adherence to statutory times scales both in issuing EHC plans following a needs assessment and completing the Annual Review process and provides details of ongoing actions to secure improvements in these areas.
Case reference: 23 005 964
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council agreed to issue reminders to all staff in its Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) service that:when a child with an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plan moves from a different council's area, the Council must let the family know within 6 weeks of transfer whether it will carry out an EHC needs assessment, or when it will review the plan. It also must review the plan within 3 months, or within 12 months of the previous review by the old council, whichever is later; andany final EHC plan issued must be shared with the family, along with their rights to appeal to the First Tier Tribunal (SEND).
- The Council agreed to review its processes and procedures, and issue reminders to relevant staff, to ensure that where it is aware a child is being educated part-time, it keeps the suitability of this arrangement under regular review.
- The Council agreed to ensure a copy of our final decision is considered as part of its ongoing Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Improvement Strategy, following its Independent SEND Review. The Council commissioned this independent review in 2021 to address issues with its SEND services and is monitoring progress against the actions it identified.
Case reference: 23 005 229
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council will send a memo to officers in education to make clear when a child receives alternative provision the Council keeps the number of hours provided under review. That memo should also remind officers of the need to ensure prompt consultations with schools take place when a child is out of education, the requirement to put in place provision by day 6 and that it sends consultations to multiple schools at the same time rather than sending out individual consultations.
- The Council will provide evidence to the Ombudsman it has in place a process to identify alternative speech and language therapists or occupational therapists when a shortage is preventing provision in a child's EHCP being put into place.
Last updated: 4 April 2015