Cheshire East Council (24 009 262)

Report Upheld Child protection 26-Aug-2025

Summary: Miss X complained the Council excessively and disproportionately intervened after a traumatic premature birth. She said the Council wrongly considered care proceedings, put both of her children on child protection plans, and communicated poorly. Miss X said the Council’s actions scarred and traumatised her, and caused significant distress. She said the experience significantly impacted her mental health. Miss X said she felt shamed, bullied and misjudged. She said she was treated like a danger to her children during one of the most frightening, exhausting and vulnerable times of her life. Miss X said she and her children carry the emotional consequences every day.

Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council (24 021 309)

Statement Not upheld Child protection 19-Aug-2025

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s children’s social care service. We have discontinued our investigation, because the Council has not yet provided Mr X with its final complaint response.

Coventry City Council (25 002 472)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 19-Aug-2025

Summary: We cannot investigate Ms M and Mr F’s complaint about the Council’s involvement in arrangements for B to live with them in 2018 because it is too late. We will not investigate their complaint about the financial support they receive from the Council to care for B because there is not sufficient evidence of fault to justify investigating.

London Borough of Camden (25 003 214)

Statement Upheld Other 19-Aug-2025

Summary: Ms B complained that the Council had delayed excessively in completing the investigation of her complaint at stage two of the statutory children’s complaints procedure. This has caused her frustration and distress. We found the Council had delayed well outside the statutory time limits. The Council has agreed to complete the stage two investigation, apologise to Ms B and pay her £350. It has already taken action to speed up the process.

Nottinghamshire County Council (25 006 214)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 19-Aug-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint who says his neighbour is a risk to his and the neighbour’s children and that the Council has failed to safeguard them. Mr X’s complaint is made late and there is no good reason to consider it now. Mr X is also an unsuitable representative for his neighbour’s children.

Kent County Council (25 006 807)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 19-Aug-2025

Summary: We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint about the content of a social worker’s report and information shared with a court. This is because the law says the Ombudsman cannot investigate matters which have been or are being considered by a court.

Brighton & Hove City Council (25 007 864)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 19-Aug-2025

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about information included in a report that the Council provided during court proceedings. The law prevents us from investigating complaints about what happened in court.

Gloucestershire County Council (25 007 969)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 19-Aug-2025

Summary: We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint that the Council provided inaccurate information during court proceedings. The law prevents us from investigating what happened in court.

Durham County Council (24 023 317)

Statement Not upheld Child protection 18-Aug-2025

Summary: Miss X complained that the Council’s Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) failed to follow correct procedures in relation to a referral by her employer. There is no evidence of fault by the Council in the way the LADO handled the referral or its oversight of the following investigation.

London Borough of Southwark (25 006 291)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 18-Aug-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s children’s services involvement with her when she was a child and as a care leaver between 1999 and 2013. This is because the complaint is late.