Slough Borough Council has been directed to reimburse £2,720 to a young adult with special educational needs after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found the authority failed to carry out timely and appropriate reviews of his Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.
What the Ombudsman found
The complaint, brought by the young person’s mother (referred to in the report as Mrs X), related to a series of failures around the handling and updating of her son’s EHC plan. The Ombudsman upheld the complaint after concluding the council did not ensure the young adult’s support needs were properly reviewed and that communication about next steps after his initial placement was inadequate.
Timeline of key events
| Year / Month | Event |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Young person enrolled on a two‑year post‑16 college course (Placement 1); EHC plan not updated since this year. |
| 2024 June | Mother complained to the council about the lack of review and guidance on next steps. |
| 2024 July | Council said it would arrange an annual EHC review with Placement 1; the young person had already moved to an online A‑level course (Placement 2). |
| 2024 August | The young adult borrowed and then paid off a £2,720 loan for the online course and exam fees. |
| 2025 September | Mother escalated the matter to the Ombudsman after not receiving satisfactory action from the council. |
Council response and ongoing concerns
Once the Ombudsman became involved the council apologised for the information about the young person being out of date and said it would liaise with the current placement to determine how best to support him and to prioritise a review of his EHC plan. However, the mother told the Ombudsman that, despite an online meeting, no review or arrangement for specialist provision had been organised.
- The Ombudsman has required a refund of £2,720 for the course and exam fees paid by the young adult.
- The authority was criticised for delays and failures in reviewing and updating an EHC plan.
- The case highlights gaps in communication and transition planning when a young person moves between post‑16 placements.
This decision centres on statutory duties around EHC plans, which set out educational, health and care support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). An up‑to‑date EHC plan is intended to ensure that the right provision is in place and that families are advised on appropriate next steps when a young person completes or leaves a placement.
For parents and carers in Slough with concerns about EHC plans: complaints about council action (or inaction) can be escalated through the council’s complaints procedure and, if unresolved, taken to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman for independent review.
The Ombudsman’s ruling serves as a reminder of the need for local authorities to maintain timely reviews and clear communication for young people with SEND, particularly during transitions between placements.
