South Gloucestershire Council (25 020 080)

Statement Upheld Other 15-Sep-2026

Summary: Mr X complained the Council completed an assessment about his daughter without involving him. He also says the Council’s assessment and Child in Need plan contained significant inaccuracies, and the Council failed to correct the record. We find the Council was at fault for failing to contact Mr X using all the available contact methods before completing its assessment. It also delayed responding to his complaint. These faults caused Mr X distress, frustration and uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mr X, make a payment to him and implement a service improvement.

Kingston Upon Hull City Council (25 021 424)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 15-Sep-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about contact with his son because there is nothing we could add to the independent investigation that has already taken place.

Devon County Council (26 006 291)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 15-Sep-2026

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X complains that the Council failed to recognise her as her son Mr Y's advocate, failed to properly ascertain and consider Mr Y's wishes and feelings, failed to make reasonable adjustments for his autism, and refused to investigate her complaint under the Children Act statutory complaints procedure. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault in the Council’s decision-making process to justify an investigation.

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (26 014 744)

Statement Upheld Other 15-Sep-2026

Summary: We have upheld Mr X’s complaint because the Council delayed considering this under the statutory children’s complaints process. The Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused to Mr X.

Middlesbrough Borough Council (26 015 867)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 15-Sep-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the content of reports the Council has filed with court and about its care planning for Miss X’s child. The law prevents us from investigating complaints about the start of court action or what happened in court. For the remainder, Social Work England is better placed to decide if a social worker is meeting their professional standards of conduct.

City of Doncaster Council (26 012 634)

Statement Upheld Other 14-Sep-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about delay in the Council’s handling of a complaint about child protection. The Council has agreed to make a symbolic payment to Mr X and complete the complaint process without further delay. We consider this to be a suitable resolution.

West Sussex County Council (26 015 694)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 14-Sep-2026

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of the children’s statutory complaints procedure. There is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.

London Borough of Havering (26 015 746)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 14-Sep-2026

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about information the Council provided during court proceedings. This is because the law prevents us from investigating complaints about what happened in court.   

Oxfordshire County Council (26 001 696)

Statement Upheld Other 13-Sep-2026

Summary: We have upheld this complaint about a delay in completing the children’s statutory complaints process. The Council has now agreed to progress the complaint under the statutory procedure promptly and consider an appropriate remedy for the delay. This provides a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused so we are satisfied with the actions the Council has agreed to take.

London Borough of Lewisham (26 014 031)

Statement Upheld Other 13-Sep-2026

Summary: We upheld Mr X’s complaint about delays in the children’s statutory complaints process. The Council agreed to resolve the complaint early by paying Mr X a symbolic remedy to recognise his injustice and complete stage three.