Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision to end a foster placement and to no longer place children in Mrs X and her husband’s care. There is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation. We also cannot achieve the outcome Mrs X wants.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains that the Council blocked her and her husband as foster carers after they asked for an increase in the weekly fostering allowance. She says they made the request after considering the child’s needs and the significant challenges during the placement. The child did not attend school and showed verbal and physical aggression, which created a demanding home environment and required constant supervision. Mrs X says her husband left his job to help manage the situation.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating or we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
3. If there was no fault in how the organisation made its decision, we cannot question the outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 34(3), as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. I considered whether the Council was at fault in how it responded to the complainants’ request and in its decision to block them as foster carers.
7. The Council oversees foster placements and considers whether placements remain suitable and sustainable when concerns arise.
8. The Ombudsman’s role is limited. We cannot question the Council’s professional judgement or decide what action it should have taken, provided it considered relevant information and acted within its discretion. The evidence does not show the Council blocked Mrs X and her husband simply because they asked for an increase in the fostering allowance. Instead, the request arose alongside wider concerns about the pressures of the placement.
9. The Council explained it offered additional support to help sustain the placement, including increased input from the supervising social worker, access to specialist behavioural support, and respite options. The support was not taken up. Instead, Mrs X requested an increase in the fostering allowance to £1,000 per week. The Council considered this request in the context of the wider placement pressures and attempted to resolve the situation before removing the child.
10. Mrs X says the Council should have warned them or discussed matters with them before blocking them as foster carers. I considered whether the Council was required to do so. I have not seen evidence the Council failed to follow its fostering procedures. We therefore will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.
11. The Ombudsman is not an appeal body. We do not reconsider a decision to decide whether it was wrong. Instead, we consider whether an organisation followed the correct process when making its decision. If it did so, we cannot question the outcome, even where someone disagrees with it.
12. Mrs X wants the Council to reverse its decision and reinstate them as foster carers. The Ombudsman does not have the power to overturn decisions about foster carer approval or to direct the Council to reinstate carers.
13. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because we cannot achieve the outcome she wants.

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Final decision

14. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault which would warrant an investigation. We also cannot achieve the outcome she wants.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman