Lancashire County Council (22 008 773)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 29-Mar-2023

Summary: Mr and Mrs P are unhappy with the Council’s response to their complaint about funding adaptations to their home. The Council suggested adaptations during Mr and Mrs P’s application for a Special Guardianship Order to create an extra bedroom. The Council has agreed to consider Mr and Mrs P’s need for adaptations again.

Salford City Council (22 014 897)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 15-Mar-2023

Summary: We uphold Ms X’s complaint the Council has failed to reply to her complaint within its Children Act statutory complaints’ procedure. The Council has now agreed to do so.

Derbyshire County Council (22 015 208)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 07-Mar-2023

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about whether he should have received financial support for caring for his grandchildren from 2007 to 2021. There are no good reasons the late complaint rule should not apply.

East Sussex County Council (22 014 075)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 06-Mar-2023

Summary: We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint that the Council denied her request for Special Guardianship Allowance. The complaint lies outside our jurisdiction because it is about a matter that has been considered in court proceedings. We will not consider Miss X’s complaint about current support. This is because we could not add to the Council’s response which explained it is a matter for her current council to consider.

Plymouth City Council (22 014 831)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 22-Feb-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council managed arrangements when two siblings were separated. We cannot investigate the principal matter, which relates to contact and is not separable from a court decision. The current contact arrangements could only be altered by a court. We could not add to the Council’s own investigation, which accepts the separation could have been handled more sensitively.

Cornwall Council (22 008 023)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 21-Feb-2023

Summary: We cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint the Council’s viability assessment report and position on care and contact with his grandchild, who is in foster care, is unfair. We cannot lawfully investigate because a court is considering the child’s living arrangements.

Buckinghamshire Council (22 003 404)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 13-Feb-2023

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council considered her complaint through the children’s statutory complaint procedure but failed to provide Special Guardianship payments it owed her, or explain why her grandchildren remained on a child protection plan for longer than necessary. The Council was at fault for failing to properly consider Mrs X’s complaint about the matters and for failing to identify the payments it owed Mrs X. The Council agreed to pay Mrs X the £8,838.88 in special guardianship payments it owes and £500 to recognise the frustration, confusion and time and trouble caused to her by its faults.

Durham County Council (22 005 725)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 08-Feb-2023

Summary: Mr and Mrs X complained about the Council’s decision to stop Special Guardianship (SG) Allowance payments in respect of their niece, F. The Council’s decision to stop the payment was in line with its policy. However, the appeal panel’s report is flawed and does not show how the panel considered relevant evidence Mr and Mrs X submitted. The Council agreed to hold a new appeal review with a fresh panel to remedy the uncertainty this has caused. It will also pay Mr and Mrs X £509.81 after it found it had underpaid their SG Allowance during 2019.

Essex County Council (22 010 021)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 30-Jan-2023

Summary: Ms X complained the Council failed to provide her with appropriate support when she agreed to care for her grandchild, F, between 2017 and 2020. The Council upheld Ms X’s complaints after investigating them under the statutory children’s complaints procedure. The Council failed to provide her with relevant support or explain the implications of caring for F under a private arrangement. The Council agreed to pay Ms X £1000 to recognise the distress and uncertainty caused to her as well as the further £1000 it has already offered to cover reasonable expenses. It also agreed to carry out service improvements.

Derby City Council (22 013 306)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 27-Jan-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to award backdated kinship care payments. That is because the complaint is late.