Archive has 45 results
Cumbria County Council (19 018 758)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Fostering 28-Mar-2020
Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr and Mrs B's complaint that the Council has refused to remove false information from their fostering record. This is because we cannot achieve the outcome they are seeking.
Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (19 010 797)
Statement Upheld Fostering 20-Mar-2020
Summary: Mr and Mrs X complained that the Council contacted another local authority and shared false allegations about them. The Ombudsman finds no fault with the Council's decision. However, there was fault in the way the information was shared. The Council has already taken reasonable steps to remedy this.
Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (19 001 261)
Statement Upheld Fostering 20-Mar-2020
Summary: Mr and Mrs X complain that the Council did not accept the findings and recommendations of the stage 3 independent review panel. She also says the stage 2 investigation was flawed because no attempt had been made to contact the police. The Ombudsman finds that there is insufficient evidence to justify the Council's findings and it failed to follow due process. This caused Mr and Mrs X distress and uncertainty. To remedy the injustice caused the Ombudsman makes a number of recommendations.
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Fostering 04-Mar-2020
Summary: Mrs X complains about the Council's decision to deregister her as a foster carer, the actions of an Independent Reviewing Officer, and the impact of the Council's decision on her former foster children. The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X's complaint. This is because the complaint is late, and it was reasonable for Mrs X to use the Independent Review Mechanism to challenge the Council's decision to deregister her. Given the time that has elapsed, it would be difficult to establish exactly what the Independent Reviewing Officer said, and Mrs X does not have permission to complain on behalf of her former foster children.
Derbyshire County Council (19 015 388)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Fostering 29-Feb-2020
Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr and Mrs B's complaint that the Council was at fault in failing to provide proper support for them as foster carers and in unreasonably deregistering them. This is because the complaint is late and there are insufficient grounds to investigate it now.
Bristol City Council (19 018 906)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Fostering 23-Feb-2020
Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr B's complaint that the Council was at fault in failing to properly investigate an allegation against him and in the process leading to the decision to deregister him as a foster carer. This is because the matters about which Mr B complains are not separable from the those under consideration by the Independent Review Mechanism, and the level of any injustice caused to Mr B cannot be determined at this stage.
London Borough of Bromley (19 007 355)
Statement Not upheld Fostering 21-Feb-2020
Summary: Mr X complained about the Council's failure to provide financial support to care for his two grandchildren and related matters. The Ombudsman has found no fault because Mr X refused to accept the backdated fostering allowance and there is no evidence to prove the other matters complained about.
Essex County Council (19 015 047)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Fostering 06-Feb-2020
Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X's complaint about issues surrounding her foster carer registration. It is reasonable to expect Mrs X to use the Independent Review Mechanism.
London Borough of Bromley (19 013 165)
Statement Closed after initial enquiries Fostering 07-Jan-2020
Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the Council's decision to remove a child from the complainant's foster care before waiting for the independent review body to make its decision. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.
London Borough of Brent (19 000 767)
Statement Upheld Fostering 23-Dec-2019
Summary: the Council accepts it did not provide all the equipment necessary to care for young children Ms F fostered and offered a satisfactory payment. Ms F agreed to take the young children even though she was only approved to foster older children so there was no fault by the Council. The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms F's complaint about the welfare of the children formerly in her care. There is no fault in the Council's request Ms F repay the children's savings.