Bracknell Forest Council (22 016 167)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Adoption 27-Mar-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s alleged failure to properly investigate Mrs X’s complaint about her adoptive children’s former foster carers. This is because we would be unlikely to provide a different outcome for Mrs X.

Oxfordshire County Council (22 015 187)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Adoption 22-Feb-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this late complaint about an adoption decision. There is no good reason to exercise the discretion available to investigate the matters complained of now.

Staffordshire County Council (22 014 066)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Adoption 07-Feb-2023

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about an adoption assessment. This is because the issues raised will need to be discussed in the court which considers the adoption order. We cannot consider issues that are related to court proceedings.

Suffolk County Council (22 013 641)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Adoption 06-Feb-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the content of a feedback report following an adoption preparation course. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. There is not enough evidence of fault and it is unlikely we could add anything to the Council’s response. We also cannot achieve the outcome the complainant wants.

London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (22 013 884)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Adoption 03-Feb-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s alleged failure to facilitate contact between Miss X and her adopted child. This is because we cannot provide a worthwhile outcome for Miss X.

Lancashire County Council (22 003 611)

Statement Not upheld Adoption 08-Dec-2022

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to act in line with its safeguarding and post-adoption support duties when it placed his adopted child’s half-sibling in a foster placement near to the family home and at the same school. There was no fault in the Council’s decision to place the half-sibling at the school. There was also no fault in the Council’s safeguarding response or post-adoption support.

Manchester City Council (22 009 233)

Statement Upheld Adoption 10-Nov-2022

Summary: I uphold this complaint because the Council was at fault in failing to respond reasonably to the complainant’s request for the provision of post-adoption information for her children. The Council has agreed to resolve the matter by providing a suitable remedy

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (22 009 698)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Adoption 02-Nov-2022

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to assess the complainant before placing his niece for adoption. This is because it concerns a matter which was decided in court. By law, we cannot consider such matters.

North Lincolnshire Council (22 009 758)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Adoption 02-Nov-2022

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about an alleged data breach and the Council’s response to the complainant’s subsequent representations. This is because the Information Commissioner’s Office is better placed than the Ombudsman to consider the substantive matter.

Royal Borough of Greenwich (21 012 102)

Statement Not upheld Adoption 01-Nov-2022

Summary: There was no fault in the Council’s decision to stop the adoption allowance Mr B received for his son. It looked at the financial information Mr B provided and properly considered the use of its powers. Its reason for stopping the allowance – that another authority was meeting Mr B’s son’s needs instead – was not obviously unreasonable.