Report Date

17/03/2025

Case Against

Swansea Council

Subject

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Case Reference Number

202409278

Outcome

Early resolution

Miss X complained about the conduct of Swansea Council (“the Council”) staff from May 2024 when she made a request for the Council to determine if her son had additional learning needs (“ALN”), until the conclusion of a Tribunal appeal hearing in January 2025. Miss X complained to the Council following the Tribunal hearing, which noted its disappointment with the Council’s failure to understand the statutory requirements around ALN and failure to consider up to date evidence. Miss X replied to the Council’s initial complaint response to express dissatisfaction that the response did not address her concerns, but did not receive a reply.

The Council said it had not responded to Miss X as she had complained to the Ombudsman. As a result, Miss X was not offered the opportunity to escalate her complaint to stage 2 of the Council’s complaints procedures.

The Council agreed to, within 4 weeks, issue a stage 2 complaint response to Miss X. The Ombudsman was satisfied this action resolved Miss X’s complaint and it was closed on this basis.