Lessons learned from 100 'wrong' education letters

COUNCIL IS CONFIDENT IT 'WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN'

- By GARETH LIGHTFOOT Local democracy reporter

LEADERS of a council rapped by a watchdog for wrongly sending out 100 letters about children's education plans say they are confident "it won't happen again".

Stockton Council's cabinet was told the authority had apologised to 100 families, stopped using a "template" letter and strengthened its processes. It also heard officers found "no further injustice" in the cases of 99 children.

One young person missed more than a year's education between May 2023 and July 2024 after Stockton Council failed to secure special educational provision, causing distress, frustration and uncertainty for their family.

The council did not carry out an annual review of the young person's education, health and care plan despite writing a letter to the family saying it had done so.

Following a parent's complaint, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) found there was maladministration by the council causing injustice. And its investigation revealed this was not an isolated error.

It found "systemic failings" as similar letters had been sent to 99 other families wrongly stating annual reviews had been done, when in fact no meeting or consultation had taken place.