Bristol City Council (23 009 943)

Statement Upheld Looked after children 01-Mar-2024

Summary: Mr X complains the statutory complaints process failed to address the continuing injustice caused to him by the Councils failure to provide support to him as a Looked After Child. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for failing to provide reasonable remedies and recommendations following the conclusion of the stage three review panel. The Council has agreed to pay financial remedies, review Mr X’s circumstances, and provide further services to Mr X.

Cumberland Council (23 016 483)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 29-Feb-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this late complaint about poor care of Miss X as a looked-after child and when she left care. The matters complained of happened several years ago, and there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate them now.

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council (23 014 011)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 29-Feb-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council not adhering to court orders, and the actions of a specific Social Worker. There is an ongoing Social Work England investigation, and Mrs X is planning to take legal action against the Council. We consider those bodies are better placed to consider her complaints.

West Northamptonshire Council (23 016 009)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 28-Feb-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about arrangements for contact with Ms X’s great-grandchildren. The complaint is late, but there is also not enough evidence of fault with the Council’s actions. Even if we investigated, we could not achieve the outcome the complainant wants.

London Borough of Lambeth (23 007 726)

Statement Upheld Looked after children 23-Feb-2024

Summary: We uphold complaints made on behalf of ‘Ms D’ and ‘Ms E’ that the Council inappropriately rejected their complaints made about children services because it said they made those complaints too late. Fault in those decisions caused Ms D and Ms E injustice as it denied them access to the complaint procedure and caused them unnecessary frustration, time and trouble. During our investigations the Council took action that we consider remedied this injustice. So, we have completed our investigations.

Shropshire Council (23 015 792)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 19-Feb-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about children services actions. We cannot investigate issues which a Court decided. And we are unlikely to achieve a significantly different remedy from that offered at stage three of the Council’s complaint process.

Leicester City Council (23 003 834)

Statement Upheld Looked after children 16-Feb-2024

Summary: Mr X complained about various actions of the council when it was considering child protection action in respect of his children. We found the Council failed to communicate properly and promptly and failed to take some actions it had agreed to. We recommended an apology and a payment to reflect distress.

Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (23 015 437)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 14-Feb-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s involvement with Mr X when he was in foster care. This is because the complaint concerns events that took place more than 12 months ago and it would have been reasonable for him to bring the complaint to us at the time.

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (23 014 591)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 14-Feb-2024

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s social care team and its involvement with Mr X and his family. This is because an investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

London Borough of Croydon (23 015 051)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 08-Feb-2024

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about children services’ actions as we are unlikely to achieve the outcome she seeks.