Surrey County Council to pay £15k to families over education failures

A council is to pay £15,000 to families for its failures in providing education to some children, as a watchdog ordered a review into the shortcomings.

Surrey County Council came under fire in three reports published by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

In one report, it emerged the authority caused someone to miss three quarters of their education over two years.

The council apologised "for the distress these families experienced" and it took the findings "seriously".

In a second ruling, the ombudsman found council maladministration caused a mother distress as she had to quit work to look after her two out-of-school children.

The council blamed staffing changes and shortages in this case. But files seen by the watchdog showed the authority "delayed consulting with schools and finding a suitable school place".

And in a third ruling, the ombudsman found the council at fault for a two-month delay in issuing an education, health and care plan, and then failing to provide what it recommended.

The council agreed to apologise and make a payment. It must now provide evidence in areas including in what it is doing to increase capacity for specialist school places and in cutting waiting times.

Clare Curran, Surrey County Council cabinet member for education and learning, said: "We take the findings from the ombudsman very seriously and we apologise for the distress these families experienced.

"We are not able to comment on any individual children specifically, however we are constantly reviewing how we support young people who are unable to attend school, and are implementing our £180m capital programme that is increasing the availability of, and access to specialist provision.

"We also recognise the significant issues that confront the SEND system nationally.

"We have seen a 64% increase in education, health and care needs assessment requests across Surrey since 2020, at a time of a national shortage of educational psychologists."

She added the council was doing its "utmost" to recruit more and hoped to see the shortage in trained education psychologists and other issues plugged through a government improvement plan.

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