Cheshire East Council (24 009 262)

Report Upheld Child protection 26-Aug-2025

Summary: Miss X complained the Council excessively and disproportionately intervened after a traumatic premature birth. She said the Council wrongly considered care proceedings, put both of her children on child protection plans, and communicated poorly. Miss X said the Council’s actions scarred and traumatised her, and caused significant distress. She said the experience significantly impacted her mental health. Miss X said she felt shamed, bullied and misjudged. She said she was treated like a danger to her children during one of the most frightening, exhausting and vulnerable times of her life. Miss X said she and her children carry the emotional consequences every day.

Cheshire East Council (24 023 328)

Statement Upheld Other 05-Aug-2025

Summary: The Council was at fault in how it responded to Miss X’s complaint about the care it provided to her child. This caused Miss X avoidable frustration, for which the Council will apologise and pay her £200. It will also begin a stage two investigation of Miss X’s complaint under the children’s statutory complaint’s procedure.

Essex County Council (25 002 218)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Disabled children 05-Aug-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mrs M’s complaint about her unsuccessful application for a Blue Badge for her son, B, because there is not enough evidence of fault.

Kent County Council (25 002 868)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 05-Aug-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council recorded and shared information. Some of the complaint is late, and there are no good reasons it was not brought to us sooner. And of the other parts that are not late, it is unlikely we would find fault if we were to investigate further.

Devon County Council (24 017 842)

Statement Upheld Fostering 04-Aug-2025

Summary: Miss X complained the Council has wrongly asked her to repay money she received for providing care to a former foster child under a staying put arrangement. We found the Council’s failure to properly advise Miss X regarding the staying put arrangement, and in particular when the arrangement and the payments associated with this arrangement would end, is fault. As was the Council’s failure to identify that payments had continued for 10 months longer than they should have. This fault has led to a significant debt and caused Miss X significant distress and anxiety. The Council will apologise, write off the debt and make a payment to Miss X.

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (24 018 472)

Statement Not upheld Looked after children 04-Aug-2025

Summary: We have ended our investigation into Mr X’s complaint about the involvement of the Council’s Children’s Services with his family and decisions made. An independent investigation has already investigated the Council’s actions. The Council has offered Mr X a suitable remedy for the upheld parts of his complaint. It is unlikely that further investigation of the same issues would lead to a different outcome for Mr X.

Surrey County Council (25 001 738)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 04-Aug-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mr F’s complaint about a child and family assessment following an allegation his mother harmed his daughter because we cannot achieve the outcome he is looking for. There are other bodies better placed to consider his concerns, and there is not enough evidence of fault or injustice to justify our involvement.

London Borough of Redbridge (25 002 680)

Statement Upheld Other 04-Aug-2025

Summary: We have upheld Ms X’s complaint because the Council failed to consider her complaint under the statutory children’s complaints procedure. The Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused to Ms X.

Wakefield City Council (25 005 929)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 04-Aug-2025

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about a social worker sharing information with a family support worker relating to Miss X’s contact with her children. The law prevents us from investigating anything that is or has been the subject to the conduct of court proceedings.

London Borough of Barnet (25 006 830)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 04-Aug-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions during an assessment for Ms X’s children, because it is unlikely that we could add anything to the investigation that the Council has already carried out. Additionally, the Information Commissioner’s Office would be better placed to consider some of the matters raised.