Service improvements

Swindon Borough Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2026

Find out more about service improvements

When we find fault, we can recommend improvements to systems and processes where they haven’t worked properly, so that others do not suffer from these same problems in future. Common examples are policy changes; procedural reviews; and staff training. Service improvements from decisions are published for 5 years and those from reports are published for 10 years.

Showing 1 - 3 of 3 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for Swindon Borough Council as a CSV file.

  • Swindon Borough Council (23 005 591)

    Category: Education Date: 20-Dec-2023

    Summary

    Miss X complained about the Council’s failure to complete an Education, Health and Care Needs assessment for her son within statutory timeframes. We found the Council at fault for delays in the process. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to remedy this injustice.

    Service improvements

    The Council should review its processes to ensure it issues final EHC Plans within statutory timescales and minimises delays. It should send written guidance and reminders to appropriate staff members.

  • Swindon Borough Council (22 012 541)

    Category: Education Date: 24-May-2023

    Summary

    Miss C complained the Council failed to provide her son with Alternative Provision when he was unable to attend school. She also said it failed to comply with the Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan process. We found the Council failed to meet its duty to provide Alternative Provision which caused Miss C and her son distress, and he had a loss of education. There was no fault in the EHC plan process, and other parts of the complaint were either late or can be appealed to a tribunal.

    Service improvements

    The Council will complete a review to ensure it meets its statutory duty to arrange Alternative Provision to children who are not attending school for reasons of illness, health or otherwise, which is expected to last for 15 school days or more without delay. Including, how it can monitor any arrangement made remains in place and suitable for children.

  • Swindon Borough Council (22 010 540)

    Category: Education Date: 21-May-2023

    Summary

    Miss X complained the Council failed to provide education to her daughter while out of school for the past seven years, resulting in missed education and distress. We did not investigate matters prior to September 2021 as they are out of time. We found the Council at fault because it did not promptly consider whether to enforce attendance or arrange provision and it handled Miss X’s complaint poorly. We recommended the Council apologise to Miss X, pay £150 for distress, pay £150 for time and trouble and act to prevent recurrence.

    Service improvements

    The Council will amend its complaint response letter templates to ensure it signposts complainants to the next stage in the complaints process and to the Ombudsman upon its final response.The Council will provide training or guidance to Council staff responsible for school attendance to ensure they are aware of the Council’s duty under section 9 of the Education Act 1996 to arrange education for children out of school and the Ombudsman’s expectation that a council should act even if a child remains on roll at school.

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