Sunderland City Council (18 017 487)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 16-Dec-2019

Summary: Miss X complained the Council has not given her contact with her grandchildren as agreed in a court order. There was no fault in the frequency or length of contact. However, the Council was at fault for not telling Miss X about changes to contact arrangements and its decision to suspend contact for three months. It also failed to consider her complaint at stage two. The Council should apologise to Miss X for any injustice caused.

London Borough of Lewisham (19 010 620)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 13-Dec-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s actions and lack of support to her as the carer of child Y who lived with her until 2008. The complaint is outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction being made late on the 12 month rule.

Northumberland County Council (18 014 755)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 12-Dec-2019

Summary: The Council took over three years to investigate Ms X’s complaints about her request for support for looking after her grandson. The law says it should have taken the Council 65 working days. The Council has already taken some action to remedy the injustice caused to Ms X. The Council’s remedy is not sufficient. The Council should pay Ms X a further £1500 to recognise distress and uncertainty she has been caused. The Council should also take action to improve its complaint handling processes.

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (18 018 503)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 11-Dec-2019

Summary: Mrs X complains about the support provided to her and her husband when they cared for their grandson following his birth. We find fault in the Council’s failure to treat Mr and Mrs X as friends and family foster carers. We also find repeated failings in the Council’s communications with them. This causes injustice in a loss of financial support and distress. The Council accepts these findings and has agreed action to remedy this injustice, set out at the end of this statement.

Herefordshire Council (18 017 590)

Statement Not upheld Friends and family carers 10-Dec-2019

Summary: Mrs P complains about her lack of contact with her granddaughter, G. The Council has not prevented Mrs P from seeing G. It has suggested she attend contact with other family members, including her son, G’s father. The Council declined Mrs P’s request to take G away for a weekend but gave reasons for its decision. The Ombudsman cannot question the Council’s decisions.

Middlesbrough Borough Council (19 009 835)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 10-Dec-2019

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council taking her grandchildren into care and the impact on her contact with them including a planned holiday. The complaint is outside jurisdiction because a court is considering the welfare of the children and could deal with a dispute about contact arrangements.

Cheshire East Council (19 003 022)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 05-Dec-2019

Summary: there is no fault in the Council’s consideration of Ms F’s requests for financial assistance related to her intended application for a Special Guardianship Order but it failed to consider her complaint properly under the relevant complaints procedure and will apologise for this.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (19 003 548)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 02-Dec-2019

Summary: The Council was at fault for providing inconsistent advice to Mr and Mrs X about when it would review their special guardianship allowance. However, it has decided not to recover the higher allowance it incorrectly paid them for 16 months, which outweighs any injustice arising from the fault. The Council was not at fault for reducing Mr and Mrs X’s allowance in February 2019, or for its consideration of whether to make extra payments. It complied with the Special Guardianship Regulations and properly considered the use of its discretionary powers.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (19 003 534)

Statement Not upheld Friends and family carers 27-Nov-2019

Summary: The Council was not at fault for reducing Ms B’s special guardianship allowance, for its consideration of whether to make extra payments, or for its assessment of her income. It complied with the Special Guardianship Regulations and properly considered the use of its discretionary powers.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (19 003 549)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 27-Nov-2019

Summary: The Council was not at fault for reducing Mrs X’s special guardianship allowance or for its consideration of whether to make extra payments. It complied with the Special Guardianship Regulations and properly considered the use of its discretionary powers. However, it was at fault for a delay in assessing Mrs X’s finances. It has agreed to make a payment of £200 to recognise her injustice.