Lancashire County Council (22 015 012)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Disabled children 29-Mar-2023

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about Lancashire County Council and Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board’s delay providing a joint care package to meet his son’s and the family’s needs. The Council has provided an appropriate remedy, which Mr X has accepted. It is unlikely an Ombudsmen investigation would achieve more.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (22 009 666)

Statement Upheld Disabled children 28-Mar-2023

Summary: Ms X complains the Council failed to provide information about the threshold for a child in need assessment and has not been clear in its decision making about support for her child. Ms X also complains the Council failed to consider her complaint under stage two. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for failing to carry out its duty under the statutory complaints process. The Council has agreed to commission a stage two investigation and pay Ms X a financial remedy in recognition of the distress caused.

Norfolk County Council (22 006 369)

Statement Not upheld Disabled children 26-Mar-2023

Summary: Ms X complained the Council reduced a package of care which is in place to support her to look after her children, causing her distress. There was no fault by the Council.

Norfolk County Council (22 009 655)

Statement Not upheld Disabled children 26-Mar-2023

Summary: Ms X complained the Council reduced a package of care which is in place to support her to look after her children, causing her distress. There was no fault by the Council.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (22 011 156)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Disabled children 20-Mar-2023

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s assessment of his son’s social care needs and its decision to reduce a package of support. That is because the complaint is late.

Surrey County Council (22 009 683)

Statement Upheld Disabled children 17-Mar-2023

Summary: The Council has acknowledged that it took too long to consider Mrs B’s request for changes to respite care when she could not recruit a personal assistant. It has apologised to her, and agreed to her request. It has backdated payments to cover care Mrs B funded herself, and offered to pay Mrs B in recognition of the impact on her. In response to my recommendation, the Council has agreed to also make a further payment and remind staff of the correct process.

Somerset County Council (22 003 345)

Statement Upheld Disabled children 17-Mar-2023

Summary: Mr and Mrs X complained the Council delayed completing a carer’s assessment which in turn meant they missed out on over a year of respite support. The Council delayed completing the carers’ assessment by 14 months. It agreed to pay Mr and Mrs X a total of £1000 to acknowledge the distress, frustration, loss of respite and time and trouble caused to them. It will also ensure its managers are aware of their responsibility to have sufficient oversight of allocated carer’s assessments.

North Northamptonshire Council (22 008 239)

Statement Not upheld Disabled children 16-Mar-2023

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to properly assess her son’s needs and incorrectly determined she had other support available to her. We found the Council carried out the assessment in accordance with its policies and there was no fault by the Council.

Essex County Council (22 006 917)

Statement Upheld Disabled children 10-Mar-2023

Summary: Ms X complains that the Council failed to carry out a parent carer’s needs assessment properly. We find that the analysis in the assessment was flawed. But as the problem was remedied in a later assessment which came to the same conclusion, we could not say the fault affected the outcome. The Council has agreed to apologise and demonstrate how it has addressed problems with its complaint handling.

Leicestershire County Council (22 007 510)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Disabled children 21-Feb-2023

Summary: We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint about the support B received in preschool. B attended a private pre school and did not have an Education Health and Care Plan.