Lancashire County Council (21 014 494)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 07-Feb-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s children’s services involvement with matters relating to the complaints contact arrangements with her child, including how the complainants requests for information are dealt with. This is because contact arrangements are subject to court proceedings and the Information Commissioner is best placed to deal with data protection matters.

Halton Borough Council (21 014 669)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 31-Jan-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this late complaint about Mr X’s time in care. There is no good reason to exercise discretion to do so.

Hertfordshire County Council (21 013 135)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 27-Jan-2022

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the services provided to a young person looked after by the Council. This is because the complainant has started court action.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council (21 013 999)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 27-Jan-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the care of the complainant’s children. This is because we cannot achieve what the complainant wants and cannot consider what happened in Court.

London Borough of Newham (21 013 778)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 24-Jan-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Miss X’s contact with her child. What the contact arrangements should be is a matter decided by a court that only a court can vary, and we cannot investigate that. Investigating the remaining matter, a missed contact session, would not lead to a worthwhile outcome.

Nottinghamshire County Council (21 014 419)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 24-Jan-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions concerning Miss X’s children. These matters are not separable from court decisions and Miss X has a right to return to court it would be reasonable to use.

St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council (21 012 592)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 21-Jan-2022

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about children services’ actions between 2000 and 2016. There are no good reasons the late complaint rule should not apply.

St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council (21 002 189)

Statement Upheld Looked after children 18-Jan-2022

Summary: St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council properly took the action it agreed to as a result of its findings when it completed its consideration of Ms B’s complaint under the children’s statutory complaints procedure. However, it should offer a higher payment to recognise the impact of those faults on Ms B.

Devon County Council (21 004 445)

Statement Upheld Looked after children 13-Jan-2022

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to respond to her concerns about the care of her two children, who were in foster care. We found the Council at fault for failing to tell Miss X she could return to the complaints process after concurrent investigations were complete. We recommended the Council provide an apology and payment to Miss X and act to prevent recurrence.

Birmingham City Council (20 011 043)

Statement Upheld Looked after children 10-Jan-2022

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to properly consider his complaints about historic abuse while in care. We found there was fault. The Council agreed to consider the complaint Mr X raised in 2020 through the statutory children’s complaints process and make a payment to Mr X of £200 to recognise his time and trouble in bringing the complaint.