Newcastle upon Tyne City Council (21 007 978)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Fostering 13-Dec-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the conduct of a social worker, whom Mr X alleges misled a fostering panel. This is because Mr X is able to raise his concerns about professional conduct with Social Work England. Additionally, Mr and Mrs X had the right to a review of the panel’s decision to de-register them as foster carers, which is the main injustice caused by the alleged fault.

City of Wolverhampton Council (21 008 835)

Statement Upheld Fostering 08-Dec-2021

Summary: we discontinued our investigation into Mrs X’s complaint that the Council did not offer her suitable fostering placements for a year. Mrs X also complained the Council failed to communicate with her when a child placed in her care went missing. The Council has offered a remedy which Mrs X has accepted, and the other part of her complaint is late.

Norfolk County Council (21 008 242)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Fostering 30-Nov-2021

Summary: We should not investigate Ms X’s complaint about children services events in 2018 and 2019. There are no good reasons why the late complaint rule should not apply.

Birmingham City Council (21 007 736)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Fostering 26-Oct-2021

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the information provided by the Council and used in a family and friends carers assessment. This is because the information was used in a report considered by a court.

Kent County Council (21 000 800)

Statement Upheld Fostering 12-Oct-2021

Summary: Mr and Mrs X complain the Council made a wrong decision about their application to become foster parents. We found the Council treated Mr and Mrs X unfairly which resulted in a flawed decision to refuse their application. The Council has accepted fault and has now offered to proceed with the application to the next stage. That said, Mr and Mrs X still suffered an injustice and so we have recommended a number of remedies.

North Yorkshire County Council (20 013 082)

Statement Upheld Fostering 05-Oct-2021

Summary: Ms X complains about the way the Council dealt with her as a foster carer eventually causing her to resign. We have found fault by the Council as it delayed starting the statutory stage 2 complaint investigation into her concerns. But this has not caused a significant injustice to Ms X so we have completed our investigation.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council (21 006 483)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Fostering 22-Sep-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about access to foster children. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant investigation.

Telford & Wrekin Council (21 005 578)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Fostering 21-Sep-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it is reasonable to expect him to have used the Council’s review process.

West Sussex County Council (20 008 710)

Statement Not upheld Fostering 16-Sep-2021

Summary: Mrs X complained about the Council’s failure to pay her the correct fostering allowance since 2015 and its decision to partially backdate an increase allowance. We are satisfied the Council acted without fault when it decided to backdate her increased allowance to March 2020 only.

Essex County Council (21 001 926)

Statement Upheld Fostering 08-Sep-2021

Summary: We uphold Mr X and Mrs Y’s complaint. Essex County Council delayed handling their complaint at stage two of the children’s statutory complaints procedure. The Council has agreed to complete its stage two investigation. It will offer to make Mr X and Mrs Y a payment to remedy the time and trouble its delay caused them.