Case Ref: 23 013 322 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Disabled facilities grants

• The Council agreed that it would brief all Councils who are party to the West Sussex Disabled Facilities Grants Policy on the approach to be taken if proposed adaptations for grant works exceed the total price of grants available. This is to ensure potential recipients of grants are properly consulted on their views and that decisions to limit recommendations are based on need and not driven by financial considerations.
• The Council also agreed that it would modify the letter it sends out when its Occupational Therapists copy their final recommendations to potential applicants for Disabled Facilities Grants. This is to reflect that applicants may not agree the recommendations and can make representations, with the final decision on what adaptations to approve resting with the local District Council.

Case Ref: 23 012 587 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to remind complaint handling staff that it should not delay local complaint handling about education and special educational needs provision because tribunal proceedings are active, doing so avoidably delays and frustrates complainants.
• The Council has agreed to set out its action plan for dealing with any continuing backlog of complaints, including any progress it has made to improve its complaint handling timescales to date.

Case Ref: 23 012 456 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Child protection

• The Council will share the Ombudsman’s good practice guidance on the children’s statutory complaints procedure (The Children Act 1989) with all relevant officers and managers. This will help to ensure the Council understands the process, especially in relation to the statutory timescales set out for it to be completed.

Case Ref: 23 012 062 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will produce an action plan to demonstrate how it will meet statutory timescales for the EHCP review process.

Case Ref: 23 011 722 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council will:a) review the communication shortfall both in the complaint handling and charging in this complaint and consider what actions the Council can take to prevent a reoccurrence; and,
• b) through contract monitoring with the Care Provider:-1. provide a reminder about the importance of consistent recording;2. consider how the Care Provider assesses and supports people who are at high risk of pressure sores and asphyxiation to ensure the processes are consistent and provide an accurate account of needs and the support required.

Case Ref: 23 010 868 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council agreed that it would brief officers who give advice on funding for social care, to stress the importance of finding out the facts around home ownership where someone is entering residential care from an address different to a property they own. The briefing would also cover the importance of recording the advice given. This action was agreed after the Council gave wrong advice on including part-ownership of a house as part of someone's capital, when the property remained occupied by their estranged partner and dependent children.

Case Ref: 23 010 680 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council agreed to prepare a communication plan with parents, for use when it learns of a school failing or closing within its area, or where children from its area attend. This is to ensure parents in such cases understand the approach taken by the Council towards questions such as how it will monitor school improvements or help children relocate to different schools.

Case Ref: 23 011 004 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council should remind relevant officers of the importance of providing clear communication and responding in a timely manner.

Case Ref: 23 007 198 Category: Transport and highways Sub Category: Parking and other penalties

• The Council will provide guidance to relevant staff on the drafting of dropped kerb decision and appeal decision letters in relation to dropped kerb applications to ensure they are accurate and provide contemporaneous evidence the key information and any appeal grounds have been properly considered.

Case Ref: 23 007 148 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to provide guidance to staff on how to properly consider and record whether to provide alternative provision under its section 19 duty under the Education Act 1996 to children of compulsory age who cannot attend school because of exclusion, medical reasons or otherwise, even when a child remains on a school roll.
• The Council has agreed to ensure it has a robust process in place to regularly review the situation when it is aware of children out of school and records the actions arising from this review.