City of York Council (23 001 150)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 27-Feb-2024

Summary: Miss Y complains the Council wrongly withdrew a proposed package of extended financial support for a Special Guardianship Order (SGO). The complaint was investigated through the statutory complaints procedure but did not conclude with the outcomes Miss Y hoped for. In our view, the investigation was thorough and evidence based but there is some outstanding personal injustice which the Council has agreed to remedy.

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council (23 016 412)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 27-Feb-2024

Summary: We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint about the contents of a report which has been considered in court proceedings because it lies outside our jurisdiction. The law prevents us from investigating complaints about matters that have been considered in court. We have no discretion to do so.

Hertfordshire County Council (23 007 311)

Statement Not upheld Child protection 27-Feb-2024

Summary: There was no fault by the Council in the action it took following safeguarding concerns about Miss B’s children.

Hampshire County Council (23 015 411)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 27-Feb-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Mr and Mrs X’s complaint about the Council refusing to investigate their children services complaint. We are unlikely to find fault.

Devon County Council (23 018 088)

Statement Upheld Other 26-Feb-2024

Summary: We uphold this complaint because the Council declined to complete the statutory process for complaints about children’s services. The Council has agreed to resolve the matter by providing a suitable remedy for the injustice the complainant has been caused.

Kent County Council (23 014 845)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 26-Feb-2024

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about inaccurate information recorded about the complainant. This is because the matter is now subject to court proceedings.

Leicestershire County Council (23 003 705)

Statement Upheld Fostering 26-Feb-2024

Summary: There was no fault in the Council’s decision-making in relation to allegations against Mr and Mrs X. The Council considered the information it had and there is no obvious flaw in the way it decided. Additionally, there was no fault the Council decided not to review its earlier finding on Mr X, after it was aware of flaws in the initial investigation by a fostering agency. However, there was fault in how it communicated its decision it had overturned its earlier findings about Mrs X. That fault caused Mrs X an injustice and the Council have agreed to my recommendation to remedy Mrs X’s injustice.

Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council (23 016 192)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 26-Feb-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions when Miss X looked after her grandchild. Investigation by us would be unlikely to add to the Council’s investigation, and part of the complaint is not separable from issues of contact with the child, which is a matter for a court that we are legally prevented from investigating.

Leicestershire County Council (23 016 409)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 26-Feb-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions following an allegation made against the complaint. This is because there is no prospect that investigation by the Ombudsman would conclude that the Council’s actions caused Mr X the injustice he claims.

London Borough of Brent (23 016 407)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 24-Feb-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council was at fault in its involvement with the complainant’s daughter. This is because investigation would not lead to a different outcome.