Surrey County Council (19 000 174)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 16-May-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr A’s complaint that the Council shared his personal information without his consent. This is because he may bring the matter to the attention of the Information Commissioner.

Kent County Council (18 019 845)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 14-May-2019

Summary: Mr X complains for his grandson, Y, about the conduct of Y’s social worker and the delay in Mr X being allowed contact with Y. Mr X is does not have parental responsibility for Y and the Ombudsman cannot investigate without written authority or confirmation of his suitability to act on Y’s behalf. Matters relating to contact are for the Court to decide. In addition, complaints about a social worker’s professional conduct are dealt with by the Health and Care Professionals Council.

Royal Borough of Greenwich (18 009 656)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 10-May-2019

Summary: the Council delayed recognising Miss B’s sister’s children were looked after children which delayed provision of financial support to the family between January and July 2018. The Council also delayed considering Miss B’s complaint at stage two. Those failures put an unreasonable financial burden on the family and created significant stress. A financial payment to three family members and training for officers is satisfactory remedy for the injustice caused.

Hartlepool Borough Council (18 019 457)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 09-May-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint about children services views on his child’s care arrangements. The Court is currently considering the child’s care and we cannot investigate the same issues involved in legal proceedings.

North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (18 012 806)

Statement Not upheld Friends and family carers 03-May-2019

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s decision not to backdate her Residence Order allowance. Miss X said a Council officer told her she was eligible for a back payment of £22,000 for the period between 2011 and 2015. I cannot say whether the Council officer told Miss X she was eligible for the back payment. However, Residence Order allowances are discretionary, and the Council decided not to backdate the payments. The Council was not at fault.