LGO Individual Decisions

Summary: Miss X complained about delays in completing an Education, Health and Care needs assessment for Y. The Council was at fault for delays causing frustration and uncertainty and meaning Miss X incurred the cost of a privately commissioned report. The Council has agreed to apologise, reimburse Miss X for the costs incurred and make a payment to recognise the injustice.

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs M’s complaint because the Council has agreed to respond and undertake a new carer’s assessment. Mrs M can make a new complaint to us if she remains unhappy once the Council has responded to her concerns.

Summary: We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint about matters related to the care arrangements of her child. This is because it concerns matters that have formed part of court proceedings.

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to comply with the statutory process for completing an annual review of his child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. We find the Council at fault for a delay in issuing the Education, Health and Care Plan. This delayed Mr X’s appeal rights and caused distress and frustration for the family. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a symbolic payment and complete service improvements to remedy the injustice caused.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s decision not to renew his organisational blue badge. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating.

Summary: Ms C complains the Council has not assessed her care needs properly and Council commissioned care agencies were inadequate. There was no significant injustice caused by the care agencies commissioned by the Council and no fault in the Council’s decision to reduce services.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to name a school in an Education, Health and Care Plan which the complainant says could not meet their child’s needs. This is because the complainant has used their right of appeal to the tribunal and an investigation into the complaint would overlap with the role of the tribunal.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s involvement with care arrangements of a child. This is because these matters have been, or could reasonably be, mentioned in court proceedings.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the child protection conference chair on her child’s case. This is because there is no sign of fault in the Council’s decision not to investigate her complaint whilst the case is subject to ongoing court proceedings.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a hedge which has overgrown over the pavement because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigation.

Summary: we will not investigate Ms M’s complaint because the Council has now responded. The Council followed the correct procedure and explained what Ms M should do if she was still unhappy. There is no role for us.

Summary: We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s failure to protect her daughter from emotional abuse and neglect because it lies outside our jurisdiction. The law prevents us from investigating complaints about matters which are, or have been, considered in court proceedings.

Summary: We have upheld this complaint about the Council’s failure to complete an Education Health and Care Needs Assessment and issue an Education Health and Care plan for the complainant’s child within the statutory timescale. The Council has agreed to provide a proportionate remedy and this removes the need for us to investigate.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council refusing to provide her child with transport to school. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council.

Summary: Mrs B complained the Council delayed in completing an annual review for her child, X. We have found the Council at fault for a delay in completing the annual review and issuing a final complaint response. This caused Mrs B distress, frustration and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to remedy the injustice caused by the faults.

Summary: Mrs B complained the Council delayed in completing an annual review for her child, Y. We have found the Council at fault for a delay in completing the annual review and providing a stage two complaint response. This caused Mrs B distress, frustration and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to remedy the injustice caused by the faults.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions in issuing an Education Health and Care Plan for Mrs X’s child. There is not enough evidence of injustice flowing from the Council’s actions to warrant investigation.

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about how the Council dealt with the review of her child’s Education Health and Care Plan and their education provision. This is because Miss X used her right of appeal to a tribunal and any separable matters happened too long ago.

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council delayed beginning her child’s Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment and issuing their Education, Health and Care Plan. She said it also delayed in responding to her complaint. We found the Council was at fault for some of the delays. The Council agreed to apologise to Mrs X and make a payment to her, and another for her child’s benefit, to remedy the injustice caused in terms of uncertainty, frustration, and unmet needs.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s actions while his children were in foster care. This is because decisions about the children’s future are for the court, and it would be disproportionate to look at the remaining issues separately.

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about children services’ actions. We have upheld Mr X’s complaint as the Council has now agreed to follow the Children Act statutory complaints’ procedure and has agreed a proportionate way to resolve the complaint.

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s actions in its child protection involvement with her family. This is because there is no sign of fault in the Council’s decision not to investigate her complaint whilst there are ongoing related court proceedings.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about adult social care provided at home. The claimed injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. The issues are not ongoing as the Council changed the care provider.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about alleged fault in the process of producing and issuing the complainant’s daughter’s Education Health and Care plan. It would be reasonable for the complainant to use his right to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) about the content of the Education Health and Care plan, and the substantive matters do not therefore fall to be investigated by the Ombudsman.

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to fund Mr Y’s care fees before 1 October 2024. There is insufficient evidence of fault and injustice to justify an investigation.