Gloucestershire County Council (21 003 170)

Statement Upheld Child protection 22-Mar-2022

Summary: Mr F complains about being unfairly excluded from the Council’s child protection process in relation to his son. Further, Mr F said the Council built a false narrative that he was a person who abused alcohol which ultimately led to a flawed decision that he was a risk to his son. Mr F says these failings resulted in him suffering serious emotional distress. We have identified numerous and serious failings by the Council. Specifically, the Council excluded Mr F from the child protection process, failed to share information with him in a timely manner and unjustifiably judged Mr F as a person who misuses alcohol. We consider the Council’s judgement about the level of risk Mr F presented to his child was based on procedural failings. Mr F suffered an injustice by reason of the faults and the Council has agreed to a number of remedies to address this.

Devon County Council (21 007 837)

Statement Not upheld Disabled children 22-Mar-2022

Summary: The Council was not at fault in how it assessed Ms X’s son’s application for a Blue Badge.

Lancashire County Council (21 017 648)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 18-Mar-2022

Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about a contact arrangement plan the Council submitted in court proceedings. The complaint lies outside our jurisdiction because it is made in relation to matters that have been considered in court. The law prevents us from investigating such matters.

Portsmouth City Council (21 017 691)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 18-Mar-2022

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the actions of a social worker in producing a report for a court. The matters complained of are not separable from those that form part of the court process.

Reading Borough Council (21 016 858)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 18-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the actions of the Council’s children services and social workers. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault in the way the Council reached its decision.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council (21 007 095)

Statement Upheld Fostering 18-Mar-2022

Summary: Mrs T complained about the Council’s handling of an investigation into allegations made against her as a foster carer. The Council failed to properly investigate the allegations and consider Mrs T’s complaint about the matter. The Council agreed to apologise to Mrs T and pay her £450 to recognise the distress and time and trouble caused to her.

Surrey County Council (21 016 882)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 17-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with a safeguarding concern. This is because any fault by the Council did not cause the complainant an injustice significant enough to warrant our further involvement.

Reading Borough Council (21 016 980)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 17-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s child protection involvement with her family following her son’s death in 2016. The complaint lies outside our jurisdiction because it is late and there are not good grounds to exercise discretion to consider it now.

Hampshire County Council (21 016 432)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 17-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the actions of a social worker for the Council during child protection action. This is because the actions complained of relate to court proceedings and are out of our jurisdiction.

London Borough of Wandsworth (21 016 591)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 17-Mar-2022

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council responded to safeguarding concerns about him. That is because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.