East Sussex County Council (21 004 678)

Statement Not upheld Child protection 27-Mar-2022

Summary: Mr W complains about the way the Council managed a child protection matter relating to his two children. Primarily, Mr W says his views were not taken seriously and that he was not kept properly informed about the Council’s involvement with him and his family. He also says the Council’s lead social worker was unsupportive of him and, at times, unprofessional. We have not identified any fault by the Council with respect to its involvement with Mr W’s family. Further, we also have no jurisdiction to investigate some of the issues raised by Mr W. The complaint is not upheld.

London Borough of Sutton (21 009 765)

Statement Upheld Child protection 25-Mar-2022

Summary: the Council is at fault for failing to involve Mr F in a children and family assessment. As a result, the assessment is one-sided and fails to represent his views. The Council has apologised, added Mr F’s comments to his children’s files, changed its practices and made a symbolic payment to acknowledge the distress caused. This is a suitable remedy.

Lincolnshire County Council (21 010 646)

Statement Upheld Other 25-Mar-2022

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to provide her son with appropriate social care support from March 2021, and failed to complete appropriate assessments of his needs. The Council was at fault as it failed to investigate Mrs X’s complaint under the statutory children’s complaints procedure. The Council will arrange and start a stage 2 investigation under these procedures within one month of this decision. It will also make a symbolic payment for the uncertainty and time and trouble this caused Mrs X.

Wiltshire Council (21 011 497)

Statement Not upheld Other 25-Mar-2022

Summary: Mr X is not satisfied with the Council’s investigation and response to his complaint about its children’s services department. He does not consider the Council properly addressed his complaint. The Ombudsman has discontinued his investigation. That is because there is not enough evidence of fault, and it is unlikely we could add to the Council’s investigation.

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council (21 015 515)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 25-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about children services actions. This is because it is unlikely that we would find fault on the decision to suspend the statutory complaints’ procedure. We are unlikely to achieve more on her child protection conference complaint. We cannot investigate those parts of her complaint which are covered by Court proceedings.

Kent County Council (21 016 422)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 25-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council responded to concerns Mrs X raised about her ex-husband. That is because there is insufficient evidence of fault in how the Council considered the complaint and it was reasonable for Mrs X to have raised her concerns in Court.

Hertfordshire County Council (21 017 543)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 25-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint that the Council has failed to assess the potential for significant harm to her children by having contact with their father and has refused to deal with her complaints. The Council has agreed to accept a complaint from Mrs X on conclusion of the family court case. It is for the court to decide if the Council needs to assess or provide a report on the current position.

Plymouth City Council (21 017 896)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 25-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s response to the complainant’s concerns about his children’s welfare. This is because there is no evidence of fault on the Council’s part.

London Borough of Enfield (21 017 900)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 25-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about safeguarding. Miss X is not a suitable person to represent the children concerned in her complaint.

Lancashire County Council (21 009 888)

Statement Upheld Child protection 24-Mar-2022

Summary: The Council is at fault for delaying consideration of this complaint under the children’s statutory complaints procedure. The Council has agreed to arrange a stage three panel and increase the payment offered to the complainant for the time and trouble its delay has caused her.