London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (20 001 726)

Statement Upheld Other 27-Nov-2020

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council's failure to provide adequate social work support to his son. The Ombudsman has found the Council to be at fault because it did not properly investigate this complaint under the statutory children's services complaints procedure. This has caused Mr X some uncertainty about whether the outcome may have been different. To remedy the injustice caused, the Council has agreed to apologise, make a time and trouble payment to Mr X and consider the complaint under the correct procedure without delay. It should also review its complaint handling processes.

Oxfordshire County Council (19 010 444)

Statement Upheld Other 24-Nov-2020

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council's handling of his complaints following child protection enquiries about his child. There was delay in the Council's response to Mr X's stage three complaint and completion of resulting recommendations. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to Mr X for avoidable uncertainty and distress caused by its handling and the delay. While the Council appears to have completed the recommendations made during the complaints process, it was never able to achieve the outcomes Mr X was seeking.

Norfolk County Council (20 001 109)

Statement Not upheld Other 20-Nov-2020

Summary: There is no evidence of fault in how the Council's LADO, dealt with allegations made about Ms C.

Hertfordshire County Council (19 014 388)

Statement Not upheld Other 19-Nov-2020

Summary: The complainant alleges that the Council has failed to offer appropriate help to her when caring for her nephew. The Ombudsman does not find fault with the Council's actions. Therefore, he has completed his investigation and will close the complaint.

Hampshire County Council (20 000 572)

Statement Upheld Other 19-Nov-2020

Summary: Mr X complains about the Council's failure to invite him to a Child Protection Conference (CPC) and its refusal to consider two further complaints. The Council is at fault for giving Mr X an incorrect impression he would be able to attend the CPC. The Council has agreed to a financial remedy and an apology to Mr X. The Council is not at fault in refusing to consider Mr X's further complaints.

South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (19 015 565)

Statement Upheld Other 18-Nov-2020

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to investigate or tell him about safeguarding allegations made in 2005. The Council was at fault for not telling him it was investigating him however I cannot say that caused Mr X a significant injustice. Mr X also complained the Council incorrectly told his employer he was barred from working with children. The Council was at fault. That has caused Mr X avoidable distress and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to make a symbolic payment to remedy the injustice caused.

Royal Borough of Greenwich (19 001 162)

Statement Upheld Other 16-Nov-2020

Summary: Mr B complained the Council showed bias against him during a child in need case, failed to invite him to meetings and provide minutes, failed to provide a letter of support for his housing application, failed to carry out adequate monitoring and cancelled meetings at short notice or turned up late. The Council did not invite Mr B to all the child in need meetings, delayed sending him minutes of some of those meetings, failed to communicate properly with him and failed to provide him with a letter for his housing application. There is no evidence of bias in how the Council handled the case. The failures undermined Mr B's trust in the process and led to him going to time and trouble to pursue his complaint. An apology, payment and reminder to officers is satisfactory remedy.

Brighton & Hove City Council (19 012 125)

Statement Upheld Other 10-Nov-2020

Summary: Ms X complains on behalf of herself and her niece, Y, that the Council has failed to provide an adequate response to the findings and recommendations of their complaint investigated under the children's social care complaints procedure. The complaint was about lack of support when Y ran away from home and came into Ms X's care. The Council has agreed to increase the financial remedy it offered to Ms X and Y.

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (19 019 597)

Statement Not upheld Other 10-Nov-2020

Summary: There is no evidence that the Local Authority Designated Officer failed to follow procedures, after an allegation was made against Mr C.

Southampton City Council (18 014 227)

Statement Upheld Other 06-Nov-2020

Summary: Since December 2016 the Council failed properly to consider the housing situation of a severely overcrowded family. The Council also failed to make adequate enquiries before deciding the children in the family were not in need. The Council has now carried out a proper housing assessment and rehoused the family. It will pay a financial remedy to the complainant for the delay.