Summary

Derbyshire County Council failed to properly investigate complaints about its Children's Services section in line with statutory requirements for a period of 18 months. Not properly investigating also resulted in it failing to implement remedies it had agreed with the Ombudsman on two occasions.

The complaint

Derbyshire County Council failed to properly investigate complaints about its Children's Services section in line with statutory requirements for a period of 18 months. Not properly investigating also resulted in it failing to implement remedies it had agreed with the Ombudsman on two occasions.

Finding

The Ombudsman found fault causing injustice.

Recommendations

The council should:

• investigate the complaints through Stage 2 of the statutory complaints procedures;
• meet with the complainant to agree her statement of complaint;
• complete its investigation in accordance with the expected timescales set out in the Regulations and the statutory complaints procedures;
• pay £500 to the complainant in recognition of the time and trouble taken in pursuing her complaint; and
• undertake a detailed review of its statutory complaints procedures and provide evidence to the Ombudsman of the review and any outcomes within three months of the date of this report.
   

 

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