Essex County Council (20 002 075)

Statement Upheld Other 22-Mar-2021

Summary: Miss Y complained about the Council’s actions after it received safeguarding referrals about her and the support it provided when she was subsequently made a looked after child. She said it failed to consider her complaints through the statutory complaint’s procedure. We find the Council was at fault for failing to record its decision making and delays in completing the required assessment when Miss Y was looked after. It also failed to consider Miss Y’s complaint under the statutory complaint’s procedure. That put Miss Y to avoidable time and trouble pursuing her complaint with the Ombudsman. The Council has agreed to make a symbolic payment to Miss Y to remedy any injustice caused. We have also recommended service improvements.

Manchester City Council (20 011 936)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 22-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about a Council officer making a safeguarding referral. There is not enough evidence of fault to warrant investigation.

Suffolk County Council (20 012 000)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 22-Mar-2021

Summary: We cannot investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s restriction of her contact with her grandchildren. The matters complained are not separable from those decided by a court, which only a court can change.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council (20 011 539)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 19-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about an alleged breach of the General Data Protection Regulation by the Council. This is a matter for the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Lancashire County Council (20 011 861)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Disabled children 19-Mar-2021

Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s decision to take Court action. We will not investigate the events around her child’s return to a residential home as another body is investigating the same events and there is insufficient injustice to warrant our investigation.

London Borough of Sutton (20 003 244)

Statement Upheld Child protection 18-Mar-2021

Summary: Ms X complained the Council failed to act when her ex-partner continued to fabricate allegations after court proceedings ended, failed to consult her before referring her son to an external provision which was inappropriate for him and provided false information in its referral. The Council failed to consult Ms X before making a referral to an external provision which caused her distress. There is no fault in the remainder of the complaint. An apology is satisfactory remedy for failing to tell Ms X about the referral, along with a reminder to officers.

Cumbria County Council (20 011 103)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 18-Mar-2021

Summary: We cannot investigate Ms C’s complaint about the involvement of the Council’s children’s services with her family. This is because the issues have been considered in court. The complaint is also late, and we are unable to investigate personnel issues.

Nottinghamshire County Council (20 011 954)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 18-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Miss B’s complaint that the Council is at fault in refusing to cease her children’s Child Protection Plans. This is because we cannot achieve the outcome she wants.

East Sussex County Council (20 011 178)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 17-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the advice provided to the complainant by the Council’s Children’s Services regarding her application to become the carer of a child. This is because there is no fault in the Council’s actions.

Bristol City Council (19 016 894)

Statement Not upheld Fostering 17-Mar-2021

Summary: Ms X complained that she was bullied and intimidated by her social worker and decisions the Council made about foster care arrangements were wrong. We did not find there was fault in the way the Council reached the decisions she complains about.