Cornwall Council (26 011 496)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 04-Aug-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about care of Miss X’s child. The law prevents us from investigating matters which have been subject to court proceedings. There is also not enough evidence of fault by the Council to warrant our involvement.

Milton Keynes Council (26 009 121)

Statement Upheld Looked after children 03-Aug-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about children services’ actions. We have upheld Mr X’s complaint as the Council has now agreed to follow the Children Act statutory complaints’ procedure which is a proportionate way to resolve the complaint.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council (26 012 251)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 03-Aug-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint the Council refused to investigate her concerns about how it safeguarded her when she was a Looked After Child. The complaint relates to events which occurred over 12 months ago, and it is unlikely we would find fault with the Council’s decision not to investigate it further. Additionally, we will also not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of her requests for information. The Information Commissioner is better placed to consider and decide complaints about data protection.

London Borough of Newham (26 012 202)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 02-Aug-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to investigate Mr X’s concerns about how it supported him as a Looked after Child. The complaint relates to matters which occurred over 12 months ago, and it is unlikely we would find fault in the Council’s decision, not to consider it. Nor will we investigate Mr X’s complaint, because it is late and there are no good reasons why it could not have been made to us sooner.

City of Wolverhampton Council (25 023 076)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 30-Jul-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Miss X’s concerns about the care of her child. An investigation by us is unlikely to achieve significantly more than the Council has already done or lead to a different outcome.

Birmingham City Council (26 010 764)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 29-Jul-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council not paying child-minding invoices. This is because the complainant has an alternative legal remedy, to pursue a claim through the courts. The courts can decide whether the Council is liable and impose a direction for continued compliance, unlike us. It is therefore reasonable to expect the complainant to use their legal remedy.     

Durham County Council (25 015 399)

Statement Upheld Looked after children 27-Jul-2026

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to properly respond to safeguarding concerns regarding Y and failed to properly handle her complaint. The evidence found fault in the Council's complaint handling. This caused Miss X frustration, uncertainty, and the loss of opportunity to access the statutory Stage 2 complaints process. The Council agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment in recognition of the injustice caused.

North Yorkshire Council (26 008 939)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 26-Jul-2026

Summary: We will not investigate X’s complaint about abuse they suffered when in the care of a Council commissioned care provider. This is because the complaint is made late and there are no good grounds to exercise discretion and consider it now.

Bracknell Forest Council (26 010 881)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 22-Jul-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council refused to investigate his concerns about its service to him when he was a Looked After Child. The complaint relates to events which occurred over 12 months ago, and it is unlikely we would find fault with the Council’s decision not to investigate it. For the remainder, there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

Manchester City Council (25 013 216)

Statement Upheld Looked after children 20-Jul-2026

Summary: We find no fault in the way the Council handled Miss X’s complaint about lack of respite care for her foster child. The Council found fault and injustice, apologised, made a payment to Miss X, and improved its service, as the statutory complaint investigation recommended. The Council has agreed to make a further payment to remedy some outstanding injustice.