Peterborough City Council (22 018 116)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 23-Oct-2023

Summary: Mrs B says the Council failed to pay her an appropriate amount as a special guardianship allowance. The Council failed to follow Government guidance when deciding how much to pay Mrs B, failed to consider whether Mrs B had an exceptional case, wrongly stopped the payments without notice, failed to consider whether it was appropriate to deduct child benefit from the special guardianship allowance and delayed providing a breakdown of how it had calculated the financial support. An apology, payment to Mrs B, reconsideration of whether to deduct child benefit from her allowance, a review of the Council’s special guardianship policy and training for officers is satisfactory remedy.

Luton Borough Council (22 006 812)

Statement Not upheld Friends and family carers 23-Oct-2023

Summary: Ms X complains the Council was at fault in how it dealt with her concerns about her nephew’s welfare, supported her to make a Special Guardianship application to care for him and decided her Special Guardianship Allowance application causing distress. We have found no evidence of fault in the way the Council dealt with these matters. So, we have completed our investigation.

Cumberland Council (23 004 668)

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

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X complaint about a children services’ assessment on her. We cannot investigate events a Court is considering.

Somerset County Council (22 017 441)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 18-Oct-2023

Summary: Mr X complains the Council failed to support him through the Special Guardianship process. We find fault with the Council for failing to follow the Statutory Complaints procedure. We have agreed service improvements with the Council and a symbolic payment to Mr X for his time and trouble.

Peterborough City Council (23 009 062)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 18-Oct-2023

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the actions of the Council’s children’s services prior to the complainant being awarded a Special Guardianship Order. This is because the issues raised have been subject to court proceedings.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (23 007 776)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 15-Oct-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the recalculation of the complainant’s Special Guardianship Order allowance because there is no evidence of fault on the Council’s part.

City of Wolverhampton Council (23 008 385)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 12-Oct-2023

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to backdate financial support for the whole period during which the complainant has had care of her granddaughter. This is because the matter has been considered in Court.

Hampshire County Council (22 012 027)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 03-Oct-2023

Summary: The Council accepted that it acted with fault when the complainant and his partner agreed to care for their two nieces under a Special Guardianship Order. However, the complainant considered the Council had not fully recognised the adverse impact on them and their nieces, and he wanted to ensure the Council had improved procedures for all special guardians for the future. We accept the Council’s findings and are satisfied that the Council has made a series of service improvements to prevent a recurrence of the faults in this case. We did, however, recommend some additional service improvements and a personal remedy for the complainant and his family, which the Council has accepted. We are therefore closing the complaint.

Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council (23 006 695)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Friends and family carers 01-Oct-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the circumstances of the removal of the complainant’s daughter from her care. This is because there is no evidence of fault on the Council’s part.

North Yorkshire Council (23 001 932)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 18-Sep-2023

Summary: The Council was not at fault for refusing to give Miss X a supported lodgings allowance from the date her nephew – a looked-after child – moved in with her. However, there was some later fault in how the Council decided when to start the allowance. It has agreed to reconsider its decision.