A report by the ombudsman about the education, health and care (EHC) plan process reveals it is now upholding nearly nine out of every 10 (87 per cent) cases it investigates - compared with 57 per cent across all cases it looks at.
In 2018/19 the ombudsman received 45 per cent more complaints and carried out 80 per cent more detailed investigations about EHC plans than in 2016/17.
It found that serious issues include severe delays of up to 90 weeks when issuing a plan, a requirement for the process to take no longer than 20 weeks.
It also warned of "poor planning and anticipation of needs", such as council areas without any specialist provision available to them, poor communication and preparation for meetings - including regular stories of non-attendance and no, or insufficient, paperwork being submitted, and inadequate partnership working - with EHC plans regularly issued without advice from health or social care services.
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