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: 24 001 995
Category: Education
Sub Category: School exclusions
- The Council has agreed to use this case as a case study in a relevant training session for officers to ensure they understand their duty to arrange suitable, full-time equivalent education, tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of each child requiring alternative education arranged by the Council.
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: 23 020 622
Category: Education
Sub Category: Alternative provision
- The Council will send a reminder to officers in education to remind them of the Council’s section 19 duty and the need to consider putting in place alternative provision when a child has been absent from school for more than 15 days in a school year.
Case reference: 23 019 930
Category: Education
Sub Category: Alternative provision
- The Council will remind officers about the need to keep the number of hours of tuition in place for children receiving only part-time hours under review.
Case reference: 23 019 811
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- Share this decision with relevant staff
Case reference: 23 019 368
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Charging
- •Review its adult social care charging systems to ensure invoices can be issued to self-funders who have not had a full financial assessment and that there are regular checks that commissioned care is being evidenced and invoiced.
- •Check that it is monitoring whether regular care and support reviews are being carried out of self-funders.
Case reference: 23 019 255
Category: Education
Sub Category: School transport
- The Council has agreed to review its transport procedures to ensure (as far as is practical) arrangements are in place for transport by the start of the school year, including cases involving children with an EHC Plan and that the Council is clear in its decisions regarding exceptional circumstances and accompaniment.
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.
Last updated: 4 April 2015