Brighton & Hove City Council: the register
Ruling 25 008 329
Folio 14
Finding: Fault found
- Finding recorded by the ombudsman
- Upheld
- Service
- Education: Special educational needs
- Council
- Brighton & Hove City Council
- Body
- Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
- Decided
- Summary
-
Miss X complained the Council failed to ensure her child, Y received a suitable education or the specialist provision in their Education, Health Care (EHC) Plan when they stopped attending school. The Council was at fault for failing to provide a suitable full-time education or the specialist provision in line with their EHC Plan between January 2025 and May 2025. The Council agreed to apologise to Miss X and make a payment to her to recognise Y’s missed education and for the distress and uncertainty caused.
Summary as published by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Remedies
Words in quotation marks are quoted from the ombudsman’s decision.
States worked out on 9 October 2026.
The ombudsman publishes no entry for a remedy.
| Ordered | Outcome publishedThe ombudsman publishes no entry for a remedy. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | What was ordered | Deadline | Payment | Date | Entry | Payment |
| 1 | Apologyapologise to Mrs X for the injustice caused by the failings identified during this investigation. We publish guidance on remedies which sets out our expectations for how councils should apologise effectively to remedy injustice. The Council should consider this guidance in making the apology I have recommended.Deadline as worded: within one month of the final decision |
Deadline passed 29 July 2026. Outcome not published. | None | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 2 | PaymentMake a symbolic payment of £1,950 to recognise Y’s loss of educational provision as set out in their EHC Plan for one and a half terms and the distress, frustration and uncertainty this caused Miss X.Deadline as worded: within one month of the final decision |
Deadline passed 29 July 2026. Outcome not published. | £1,950.00 | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| 3 | Service changethrough training or briefing remind relevant staff of the requirement to maintain appropriate oversight and consider holding early annual reviews for children out of school and not attending their EHC Plan named placement.Deadline as worded: Within three months of the final decision |
Deadline passed 29 September 2026. Outcome not published. | None | No outcome published by the ombudsman | ||
| Stated payments ordered | £1,950.00 | Outcomes published by the ombudsman: none | ||||