Miss C complained that there had been avoidable delays in Powys County Council considering and meeting her daughter’s Additional Learning Needs.
The Ombudsman decided that although the Council had apologised for not meeting the statutory timescale, the reasons for delays had been poorly explained. Miss C had not always received accurate or timely information about the Council’s processes or the decisions that the Council had taken. The delays and poor communication created uncertainty for Miss C about how her daughter’s needs would be met and prevented her from appealing to the Education Tribunal for Wales. The Ombudsman decided to settle the complaint without an investigation.
In response to the Ombudsman’s enquiries, the Council arranged for the matter to be considered by the Additional Learning Needs panel. The Ombudsman also sought and gained the Council’s agreement to apologise to Miss C, within 1 month, for the poor communication and for not informing her of decisions. It also agreed to issue a formal notice of the recent panel decision within one month of the panel date.