Case Ref: 22 003 256 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• The Council will send written reminders to all staff within the Elective Home Education and Children Missing Education teams to ensure they remind themselves of the Department for Education’s Elective Home Education: guidance for local authorities. Section 6 in particular states what councils should do when it is not clear that home education is suitable.
• The Council will ensure reminders to staff should highlight the need for officers to consider if it is expedient for a child to attend school and consider their individual circumstances in relation to Elective Home Education. This learning should also be kept in mind when communicating the process to individual parents.

Case Ref: 22 000 723 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council will share this decision with relevant staff.

Case Ref: 21 018 292 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will review its complaint handling responses against itsown written policy timeframes and determine what steps are required to ensurecompliance with this going forward.
• The Council will also review its compliance with issuing EHCP’s in accordance with the Regulations and adopt measures to prevent delays occurring.

Case Ref: 21 014 125 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Residential care

• Provide evidence the Home has sent a reminder to its nursing and care staff of the need to ensure clear records, where a fluid intake chart is in use. The chart should record all occasions staff offered or encouraged fluids, and when this was refused. If the chart shows the person has not reached their target intake for the day, this should be recorded along with any reasons. Any interventions or medical advice should be recorded in the hydration care plan.

Case Ref: 21 012 744 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Other

• The Council, Trust and ICB will review their Section 117 policies and procedures to ensure these are compliant with the Mental Health Act 1983 and the accompanying Code of Practice. Specifically, this review should ensure the revised policies and procedures provide clear guidance for staff on where the statutory duty for arranging and providing Section 117 aftercare lies. The Council, Trust and ICB should consult with each other as part of this review ro ensure their revised policies are clear and consistent.The Council, Trust and ICB will write to the Ombudsmen with the outcome of this review and provide copies of the revised policies and procedures.

Case Ref: 21 012 375 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Residential care

• The Council will check the Care Home has a process in place to ensure it acts quickly and appropriately when a resident refuses support including, considering an increase in provision or giving notice, notifying the Care Quality Commission and raising a safeguarding alert.
• The Council will provide training or issue guidance to Care Home staff to ensure they escalate concerns about residents' health appropriately.

Case Ref: 21 010 987 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Transport

• Within three months of the date of my finaldecision, the Council has agreed to conduct a review of a sample of its BlueBadge decisions over the past 12 months. The review should seek to identify ifthere has been a similar, systematic fault with its desk based assessments ofapplications, and if so, how many decisions this has likely affected. TheCouncil should then decide an action plan on the best way to resolve theinjustice to the affected applicants.

Case Ref: 21 010 869 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council was at fault for errors made during a financial assessment of the complainant's contribution towards the cost of her social care. There was unnecessary delay and it made demands for payment and a threat of legal action when an appeal was pending. The Council has agreed that, within two months of the date of the decision, it will review its processes to find ways of ensuring that: a) It does not send demands for payment when an appeal is pending, b) It does not make similar miscalculations in future, and c) communication both within the department and with customers improves. The Council has agreed that it will then write to the Ombudsman setting out changes it has made or intends to make to improve its service in these areas.

Case Ref: 21 009 958 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Charging

• The Council will review the information it provides when arranging non-residential care, to ensure people are aware of any applicable cancellation notice periods before their care begins.

Case Ref: 21 008 944 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed that it will issue a reminder to relevant staff on: the importance of due diligence in ensuring that it makes adequate checks where a parent says a child is not receiving education in line with their Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP); the Council must be clear with the parent about its understanding of the requirements of the EHCP and must also be clear with the school about those requirements and ensuring they are met; and clarifying within four weeks of a review whether the Council intends to maintain, amend or end an EHCP.