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.

Hertfordshire County Council (26 009 862)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 16-Jul-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to investigate Miss X’s concerns, about how it dealt with her as a Looked after Child. The complaint relates to matters which happened over 12 months ago, and it is unlikely we would find fault in the Council’s decision, not to consider it. Nor will we consider it either, because it is a late complaint and I have not seen any good reasons why a complaint could not have been made to us sooner.

Middlesbrough Borough Council (26 009 054)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 08-Jul-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council safeguarded him when he was a Looked After Child. The complaint is late.

London Borough of Hillingdon (26 008 810)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 06-Jul-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint about how the Council safeguarded her when she was a Looked After Child and into her early adulthood. The complaint relates to events from more than 12 months ago and it is unlikely it would be possible to obtain the evidence to effectively investigate now. Additionally, the Information Commissioner is better placed to consider the data protection part of Miss X’s complaint.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets (25 012 071)

Statement Upheld Looked after children 06-Jul-2026

Summary: The Council was at fault in its adjudication of Miss X’s complaint that followed a stage three Panel review as part of the statutory children’s complaints procedure. The Council’s fault caused Miss X and her family frustration and uncertainty and put Miss X to time and trouble. The Council should agree actions to remedy the injustice caused and to improve its service.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (25 022 236)

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

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how foster carers spent Disability Living Allowance. The council has already examined Miss X’s complaint under the children’s statutory complaints procedure, and further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, so it is not warranted.

London Borough of Lambeth (25 022 564)

Statement Upheld Looked after children 29-Jun-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about a financial remedy offered by the Council. There is nothing we could add to the Council’s response. We cannot achieve the outcome Ms X wants.