Devon County Council (20 003 495)

Statement Not upheld Friends and family carers 03-Dec-2020

Summary: Ms X complains the Council has refused to pay her legal fees despite agreeing to do so. There is no evidence the Council advised Ms X to obtain legal advice or agreed to fund the cost of this advice. The Council's refusal to pay Ms X's legal fees does not therefore amount to fault.

Durham County Council (19 020 852)

Statement Not upheld Friends and family carers 02-Dec-2020

Summary: The Council was not at fault for its decision to end Mrs B's special guardianship support. It properly applied its policy and statutory guidance, and considered detailed information about her finances, so we cannot question its decision.

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council (19 016 116)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 06-Nov-2020

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council's failure to assess him for a Residence Order Allowance in 2009. The Council was at fault for failing to consider his need for a Residence Order Allowance in 2009. That caused Mr X avoidable uncertainty as he does not know whether he would have been eligible for support. The Council has offered to pay Mr X £1500. This remedies the injustice it caused him.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (19 015 369)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 28-Oct-2020

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council's handling of his requests for a special guardianship allowance. Mr X said this caused him financial difficulties. The Council had already investigated under the statutory children's complaints procedures, found it acted with fault and taken suitable steps to address the injustice caused to Mr X and to make the relevant procedural changes. We could achieve nothing further.

Lancashire County Council (19 016 674)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 21-Oct-2020

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to offer financial support when her grandchildren came to live with her. She says this caused her financial hardship. The Council was at fault for not providing basic information about the different ways someone can care for another person's child and for not considering whether it could offer financial support when she asked for it. It should pay her £150 for the uncertainty caused and consider the request for financial assistance.

Durham County Council (19 020 430)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 16-Oct-2020

Summary: Mrs X complains that the Council delayed in paying her for the maintenance of children it asked her to look after. The Council is at fault. It should apologise and pay Mrs X £750.

North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (20 000 189)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 09-Oct-2020

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to properly consider financial support when she agreed to take care of her grandson in 2012. This included financial support leading up to the Residence Order being granted and the Residence Order Allowance following on from this. The Ombudsman found the Council was not at fault for failing to provide a Residence Order Allowance to Miss X. However we found the Council failed to consider Y a looked after child causing Miss X to miss out on financial assistance as a Family and Friend Foster Carer. The Council agreed to pay Miss X the backdated financial assistance she is entitled to.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council (19 003 363)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 05-Oct-2020

Summary: The complainant alleges that the Council's Special Guardianship allowance practice was not in accordance with statutory guidance and it also withdrew financial support for his legal assistance. The Ombudsman has found fault in the Council's understanding of the statutory guidance, which has affected the allowance paid to the complainant, and to other family foster carers, during the first two years since they were granted a Special Guardianship Order. The Ombudsman has also found fault in the way the Council withdrew the financial support for legal assistance to the complainant. The Council has accepted the recommended actions to remedy this complaint.

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (19 014 399)

Statement Upheld Friends and family carers 01-Oct-2020

Summary: Mr X complains about the way the Council handled his Special Guardianship Allowance and his complaint. He says this caused stress and anxiety, had a significant financial impact on him, and cost him time and trouble. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for failing to increase Mr X's Special Guardianship Allowance and for failing to carry out annual financial reviews. This caused Mr X injustice. The Ombudsman is satisfied that the Council has remedied the injustice caused to Mr X and implemented appropriate service improvements. The Ombudsman does not find the Council at fault for the other parts of Mr X's complaint.

Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council (19 020 527)

Statement Not upheld Friends and family carers 25-Sep-2020

Summary: Mrs X complains about lack of advice and support from the Council since 2010 about Special Guardianship Order allowances. The Ombudsman will not investigate the complaint further as it would be reasonable to expect Mrs X to have complained to us before 2020. The complaint is therefore late and outside the Ombudsman's remit. In any case, it is unlikely the Ombudsman could add to the previous investigation by the Council.