Bromley Council has apologised and paid £500 to a family after failing to secure a new school placement for a child with special needs for 17 months. The Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman found fault in the council's handling of the case, citing staffing changes and poor communication.
Ombudsman complaint and background
A mother, referred to as Miss X, complained to the ombudsman in October 2025 that her child, known as B, had been out of school since 2022. She also alleged that Bromley Council failed to provide the provision set out in B's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and that its communication with her was poor.
The ombudsman only considered events from the last 12 months, as it determined Miss X had "reasonable opportunities" to complain earlier about the three-year period B was out of school.
Council's failures and apology
B's EHCP was reviewed in February 2024, and both the school and Miss X requested that Bromley find an alternative placement. The council agreed and began consulting with other schools. However, in July 2025, Miss X complained that the council had failed to provide the required provision. Three months later, the council upheld the complaint, acknowledging "it had not had proper oversight of B's case, it had failed to secure an alternative placement for B, and its communication with Miss X had been poor."
The council apologised for the "distress, confusion, inconvenience, and impact of the delays," but Miss X proceeded with her complaint to the ombudsman. In its response, Bromley cited staffing changes and "a lack of continuity" as factors that may have adversely affected oversight of B's case.
Ombudsman findings and remedy
The ombudsman found fault in both the council's failure to provide B with the correct provision and its poor communication with Miss X. The report states: "The council also recognised it could have told Miss X earlier about the changes in B's caseworker through clearer communication, particularly in notifying Miss X of changes in staff and who to contact. The council recognised this had caused added stress at an already challenging time."
As a result, the ombudsman ordered Bromley to pay Miss X £500 to remedy the injustice. Bromley Council has been approached for comment.
