Hampshire County Council (20 002 763)

Statement Upheld Child protection 15-Mar-2021

Summary: The complainant said that the Council had failed to start a Stage 2 investigation, under the statutory Children Act complaints procedure. This has caused avoidable frustration. We find fault causing injustice by the Council. The Council has now agreed to undertake a Stage 2 investigation and to apologise to the complainant. Therefore, we have completed our investigation and are closing the complaint.

Cambridgeshire County Council (20 003 498)

Statement Upheld Adoption 15-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr and Mrs B have an adopted child. They complained about how the Council dealt with the placement of their adopted child’s birth mother in a mother and baby foster placement close to their home, and the issues arising from this. We find there was fault by the Council causing injustice for which an apology and appropriate financial remedy has been offered. The Council has also implemented service improvements. We find there was some fault in complaint handling, and the Council agreed to our recommendation to take steps to review and act on lessons learned about the framing of complaints.

Nottinghamshire County Council (20 009 674)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 15-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate the complainants complaint about the Council’s handling of his daughter’s child protection case. This is because it is late.

Birmingham City Council (20 011 804)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Fostering 15-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs B’s complaint that the Council is at fault in refusing to allow her to have contact with a looked-after child. This is because it is unlikely we would find fault on the Council’s part.

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (20 011 929)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 15-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the professionalism of the Council’s children services social workers. There is another body better placed to do so.

Luton Borough Council (20 011 261)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 15-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s actions regarding his daughter. The matters complained of are in part historic and mostly not separable from the matter of her contact and residence. This has been decided by a court and Mr X has a right to return to court it is reasonable to use.

Hertfordshire County Council (20 011 303)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 15-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Miss B’s complaint that the Council failed to provide appropriate support for her and her daughter before and after private law proceedings. This is because the actions she complains about relate to matters which have been decided in court.

Kent County Council (20 005 821)

Statement Upheld Disabled children 12-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr X complained the Council has failed to provide his son, F, with social care support following his discharge from psychiatric hospital in July 2019. The Council failed to investigate Mr X’s complaint under the statutory children’s complaints procedure. This caused Mr X uncertainty about whether the outcome may have been different. The Council agreed to arrange and start a stage 2 investigation under the statutory children’s complaints procedure within one month of the final decision. It also agreed to make a symbolic time and trouble payment to Mr X and review its complaints policy.

Staffordshire County Council (20 011 655)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 12-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about evidence that may be used by the Council in court proceedings, as it is reasonable for Mrs J to raise this matter in court. It is unlikely we would find fault on the Council’s part in refusing to accept Mrs J’s complaint.

Lancashire County Council (20 011 329)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 12-Mar-2021

Summary: We will not investigate Miss C’s complaint that the Council has refused to escalate her complaint about the outcome of a child protection enquiry. This is because the complaint concerns matters which may be raised in court.