Councils should respond to all recommendations made during independent complaints investigations, says the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman after it upheld a mother’s complaint about London Borough of Waltham Forest.

The issue is being highlighted after the mother of a disabled child asked the Ombudsman to investigate the way the outer London council responded to her complaint. This was about several issues including failing to meet her child’s social care needs.

As part of the council’s complaint investigation, carried out through the statutory children’s complaints procedure, the investigating officer agreed it was appropriate for Waltham Forest to carry out an independent review of its support for children with disabilities.

The council then failed to mention this agreed outcome when it contacted the mother, or to complete the review, and the mother made her complaint to the Ombudsman.

The report comes after the Ombudsman called for the statutory complaints process for cases involving children to be urgently reviewed following reports against two other local authorities which highlighted failings in how complaints had been handled.

Ms Amerdeep Somal, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said:

“Once again, I am compelled to report on issues I have found with a local council’s handling of the children’s statutory complaint procedure.

“In this case the council’s independent investigation agreed with the parent that a review of the system of support for children with disabilities should be carried out, but the council has not responded.

“This missed opportunity to look at ways it could improve services can have only exacerbated the frustration felt by the mother, after her complaint was upheld.

“We have previously investigated other complaints the mother has brought to us following the children’s statutory complaints procedure. In those cases, we also found Waltham Forest had either failed to respond to the recommendations, or failed or delayed completing the recommendations made.

“As a result I have concerns about the council’s ability to administer the children’s statutory complaints procedure, monitor its compliance with the actions it has agreed to take and effectively provide appropriate redress or improve practice to prevent future injustice for families in the borough.

“I hope the improvements the council has agreed to undertake as a result of my report will result in better outcomes in future.”

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman remedies injustice and shares learning from investigations to help improve public, and adult social care, services. In this case the council has agreed to apologise to the mother and pay her £500 for the frustration, uncertainty and erosion of trust. It will also write to her to tell her if it will complete an independent review of its system of support for children with disabilities.

The Ombudsman has the power to make recommendations to improve processes for the wider public. In this case the council has agreed to provide training for relevant council officers, and review how it looks at recommendations made through the children’s statutory complaint procedure.

Article date: 06 August 2025