West Sussex County Council (25 019 597)

Statement Upheld Other 06-Jan-2026

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.

Suffolk County Council (24 016 124)

Statement Upheld Other 06-Jan-2026

Summary: Mr X complained about the way the Council dealt with the care of his daughter, Ms Y. The Council was at fault for completing a flawed stage two investigation, delaying in completing the complaint procedure, poor communication and failing to explain its reasons for rejecting the panel’s findings. This caused Mr X distress, frustration and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise, make a payment to Mr X and fully explain its decisions.

London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (25 010 350)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 06-Jan-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about children services actions. We will not reinvestigate her complaint which the Council considered in its Children Act statutory complaints procedure. And we cannot achieve the outcome she wants.

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council (25 010 468)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 06-Jan-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint about the content and preparation of documents used in court proceedings. The Information Commissioner’s Office is better placed to consider a data protection act allegation. We will not investigate an allegation of lack of safeguarding support during court proceedings.

North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (24 018 512)

Statement Upheld Other 05-Jan-2026

Summary: Mr X complained the Council produced a care plan for his child, Y which does not align with a care order. He also complained about poor communication from its legal department. The Council started investigating the complaint through the statutory procedure but failed to consider it at stage three. The Council agreed to apologise to Mr X, pay a symbolic payment to recognise the frustration and arrange a stage three panel to consider Mr X’s complaint without further delay.

Worcestershire County Council (25 006 373)

Statement Upheld Other 05-Jan-2026

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council did not fully address all parts of her complaint or provide sufficient remedy when it considered her complaint through the children’s statutory complaints procedure. The Council did properly follow the procedure and considered her complaints, but its remedy did not fully reflect the distress and frustration caused to her. There was also delay in the Council’s complaint handling. The Council has agreed to pay Mrs X a symbolic financial remedy.

London Borough of Havering (25 020 443)

Statement Upheld Other 02-Jan-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about delays in the Council’s response to a statutory complaint. The Council has upheld the complaint and agreed to remedy Ms X’s injustice by making a recognition payment. Further investigation by us would therefore not be proportionate.

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council (25 011 664)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 24-Dec-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the placement of her brother in 2021. This is because the complaint is late and I have seen no reason to exercise my discretion to investigate.

Halton Borough Council (25 018 536)

Statement Upheld Other 23-Dec-2025

Summary: We have upheld Miss X’s complaint because the Council delayed considering her 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 Miss X.

Hampshire County Council (25 006 535)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 22-Dec-2025

Summary: Miss X complained that the Council refused to provide her with free school meals despite being financially eligible. We have discontinued our investigation because this is a late complaint and there is no good reason to use discretion to investigate.