Isle Of Wight Council Fined After 10-Month Delay To Child’s SEND Plan

The Isle of Wight Council has been ordered to pay £2,500 after a significant delay in issuing a child’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) plan.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found “fault causing injustice” following a complaint from a father, who said the delay meant his child missed a substantial amount of education at a crucial stage.

By law, councils must complete an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment and issue a final plan within 20 weeks.

However, in this case, the process began on 5 February 2024, meaning the plan should have been issued by 24 June 2024. Instead, it was not finalised until 23 April 2025—around 10 months late.

The Ombudsman’s report highlighted delays throughout the process, including a lengthy wait for specialist input.

Educational Psychology advice, requested in June 2024, was not returned until October—taking 120 days instead of the statutory six weeks.

EHC plans are designed to support children and young people up to the age of 25 who need additional help beyond standard provision, setting out their educational, health and social needs.

The council has agreed to make a symbolic payment of £2,500 to the father and to take steps to improve its services.

In a statement, a council spokesperson said:

“We accept the findings of the Ombudsman and recognise that aspects of our statutory processes did not operate as effectively or as promptly as they should have.

“This falls short of the standard we expect for children and families on the Island.

“We are taking firm steps to strengthen our SEND processes, improve the timeliness and quality of assessments and reviews, and ensure better communication with families.

“Our priority remains making sure every child and young person receives the right support at the right time, and we are committed to making the necessary improvements.”