Suffolk County Council (03A19305)

Children and family services     Maladministration causing injustice

05 September 2005

‘Mr Hunter’ (not his real name for legal reasons) complained about the Council’s protection of his children. Following the breakdown of his marriage, two of Mr Hunter’s sons were placed in temporary foster care, but one was then returned to his mother without proper planning and in circumstances that put him and his younger brother at risk of harm. There was a history of problems with the boys’ behaviour. Their mother found it very difficult to cope with them, and their behaviour continued to deteriorate.

The Ombudsman found the Council had been at fault and concluded that there had been a lack of planning by social services, assessments were not completed within statutory time limits and statutory review forms were incomplete.

Two of the children now live with Mr Hunter. They went to live with him in circumstances of crisis. There had been long periods when they had little or no contact with each other or with their father, they still have no contact with their younger brother, and their behaviour still appears affected by events in the past.

The Ombudsman found maladministration causing injustice and recommended that the Council:

• reviews its procedures, to ensure adequate monitoring of cases so that targets for dealing with assessments are met; and
• pays Mr Hunter compensation of £5,000.

The Council accepted the Ombudsman’s findings and agreed – subject to approval by its Standards Committee – to pay Mr Hunter £5,000 compensation.

Date Published: 21/04/09