Case Ref: 19 011 112 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Friends and family carers

• The Council was at fault for failing to engage with a statutory complaint investigation, failing to complete all the stage two investigating officer's recommendations which it had agreed to, for failing to ensure a child had suitable educational provision for a term, for failing to provide promised help and support, and for delays in handling the complaint. The Council will share a copy of this decision with relevant staff in the complaints department and Special Educational Needs department.
• The Council will circulate a briefing note to staff to be clear with families (of children with Special Educational Needs) about allocation of workers to reduce the potential for unrealistic expectations about service provision. The Council will discuss the briefing note at the next Special Educational Needs management meeting.
• The Council will remind all head teachers of their duties to invite Local Education Authority representatives to Education, Health and Care plan reviews.
• The Council will write to all families (of children with Special Educational Needs) about the legislation which does not require the Council to attend annual reviews of Education, Health and Care plans. The letter will say how the Council will monitor annual reviews when it is absent for those reviews.
• The Council will update its guidance about annual Education, Health and Care plan reviews on its Local Offer website.

Case Ref: 19 010 339 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council has agreed to remind staff of the need to share personal budgets as soon as they have completed the care and support assessment.

Case Ref: 19 009 574 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will review its processes to ensure that alternative educational provision is provided in line with the statutory guidance.
• The Council will review its processes to ensure that following an annual review, it either issues a decision to stop or maintain the Education Health and care Plan or it issues an amended plan, as appropriate, and that it provides information on appeal rights.

Case Ref: 19 009 478 Category: Education Sub Category: School transport

• Remind officers they must notify applicants of school transport appeal decisions within 5 working days.

Case Ref: 19 008 213 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Residential care

• Provide evidence the service improvements listed at (57) have been completed.
• Conduct an audit of Council funded care home residents to identify any other cases with out of date care and support plans.
• Ensure a procedure is in place to monitor complaints about its care providers.
• Review the care management system to ensure there is a mechanism in place to alert the Council of cases which require a review.

Case Ref: 19 006 958 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will review its Fair Access Protocol, with reference to Access 2 Education's (A2E) role in assessments.

Case Ref: 19 005 431 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council will explain what action it will take to ensure it has a robust Continuing Healthcare process in place. This should provide clear guidance for staff on submitting timely information (including Continuing Healthcare checklists) to local Care Commissioning Groups as part of the Continuing Healthcare process. The Council should explain how it will record and monitor Continuing Healthcare cases to prevent unnecessary delays.
• The Council will explain what action it will take to: - Ensure it has a robust procedure in place for completing timely social care assessments, reviews and care plans in accordance with the requirements of the Care Act. The council should explain how it will monitor and audit cases on an ongoing basis. - Ensure the Council has a clear process in place for providing advocacy services in accordance with the requirements of the Care Act. The Council should also explain how it will ensure staff are aware of the duty to provide an advocate for someone who would otherwise have 'substantial difficulty' participating in the assessment or review process. - Ensure the Council has a dispute resolution procedure in place. This should provide both staff and service users with a means to escalate cases in which there is a dispute around the level of support required.
• The Council will explain what action it will take to: - Ensure the Council has a clear process in place for completing financial assessments in accordance with the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014. This should provide guidance for staff on the importance of a 'person-focused' approach that recognises the circumstances of the individual and provides support to enable service users to participate fully in the assessment process.
• The Council will explain what action it will take to ensure staff are appropriately trained to support service users with an Autism diagnosis.

Case Ref: 18 009 201 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Child protection

• Complete and circulate to all relevant staff a copy of the briefing note informed by the lessons learned from this complaint. A copy should be sent to the Ombudsman.