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SEND complaints dominating a quarter of ombudsman’s casework

1 min read Children's Services Education
The majority of cases dealt with by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) are linked to complaints about services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The Ombudsman has called for councils to comply with its recommendations. Picture: Adobe Stock/ Olesia Bilkei
The Ombudsman has called for councils to comply with its recommendations. Picture: Adobe Stock/ Olesia Bilkei

Complaints about SEND provision have made up 26% of all complaints received by the service in 2023/24, with 92% of these complaints being upheld, according to the ombudsman’s annual review.

The ombudsman found fault in 92% of the education cases it investigated over the same time period, with key issues found to be failures by councils to carry out education, health and care plan (EHCP) assessments and reviews in good time, and also failures to provide support stated in a EHCPs.

Parents were found to have not received adequate information about what is happening to provide for their child’s needs in a number of cases, the report finds.

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