Westmorland and Furness Council (24 021 622)

Statement Upheld Other 13-Oct-2025

Summary: We have found that both councils – Westmorland & Furness and Cumberland – caused delays in their handling of Mr X’s linked complaints about children’s social care. Both will now apologise to Mr X and will take action to improve their respective services. Cumberland will also make a symbolic payment which recognises
Mr X’s likely distress.

Cumberland Council (25 006 091)

Statement Upheld Other 13-Oct-2025

Summary: We have found that both councils – Westmorland & Furness and Cumberland – caused delays in their handling of Mr X’s linked complaints about children’s social care. Both will now apologise to Mr X and will take action to improve their respective services. Cumberland will also make a symbolic payment which recognises
Mr X’s likely distress.

Hampshire County Council (25 005 966)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 12-Oct-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about a children services family assessment. We are unlikely to achieve more than the Council’s offer to place her comments as an annex. We are unlikely to find significant fault in the Council’s decision to suspend a complaint investigation during Court proceedings. The Information Commissioner’s Office is better placed to consider any factual errors in the assessment. We are unlikely to find significant fault or injustice in not telling her when it shared the assessment with a third party.

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (25 002 600)

Statement Upheld Other 09-Oct-2025

Summary: We have upheld Mr X’s complaint because the Council delayed considering his complaint at stage two of the children’s statutory complaints procedure. The Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused to Mr X.

London Borough of Hounslow (25 004 334)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 09-Oct-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s failure to keep him informed of matters involving his children. Our involvement could not add to the response and apology the Council has already provided. Another body is better placed to consider Mr X’s concerns about the way the Council processed his request for personal data.

London Borough of Redbridge (25 013 378)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 09-Oct-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Council’s handling of Mrs X’s request for increased respite care and its complaint handling. This is because the Council has not yet completed all three stages of the statutory children’s complaint procedure, and it would be reasonable to allow it to do so. In addition, the Council has already accepted and remedied the delays identified at earlier stages, so further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council (24 015 252)

Statement Upheld Other 08-Oct-2025

Summary: Mr X complained the Council has not met its legal duties to support his Special Guardianship Order. He says this has impacted the emotional wellbeing of his family. We find the Council at fault which caused injustice. The Council will apologise and make a payment to Mr X. The Council will also make a fresh decision.

Sheffield City Council (25 004 534)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 08-Oct-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about alleged bias and unprofessionalism of the Council in its dealings with Dr Z. The opinions formed by the allocated Social Worker have already been subject to scrutiny by a court. An absolute and permanent legal bar prevents us from considering the view expressed and the way in which they were formed.

Devon County Council (25 005 225)

Statement Upheld Other 08-Oct-2025

Summary: We have upheld Miss X’s complaint because the Council did not consider her complaint under the statutory children’s complaints procedure. The Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy.

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (25 011 421)

Statement Upheld Other 08-Oct-2025

Summary: We have upheld this complaint about delay in the children’s statutory complaints procedure. This is because the Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused.