Child at risk of gang violence because of council failings A four-year-old child was placed at risk of gang violence because Croydon council did not do enough to check on them and their mother when their uncle was released from prison and allowed to live with them, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. The child’s young mother left foster care in 2016 shortly after her 18th bi ...

City council in foster carer dispute after girl’s mother dies Birmingham City Council considered allowing an 11 year-old girl to be deported during a dispute with her foster carers, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has discovered. The girl, who was born in the UK, was being looked after by family friends after her mother died as she had no other relatives in the country. The couple ...

Council to reconsider how it allocates housing following Ombudsman investigation East Lindsey District Council has been asked to review its housing allocations policy to ensure it meets its equality duties, following an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. The Ombudsman looked at the council’s policy after a couple complained they had been barred from joining the housi ...

City council to amend school transport policy following Ombudsman investigation Coventry City Council has agreed to amend the way it handles appeals about free school transport after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found its policy did not meet statutory guidelines. The problem was uncovered after a man complained he had not been given a fair hearing when he appealed against the co ...

Ombudsman annual review highlights widening cracks in council complaints systems The ‘widening cracks’ in local government complaint handling are being highlighted in the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s annual review of complaints 2020-2021, published today. Over the past year, the Ombudsman has upheld a greater proportion of investigations – 67% – than ever before. This continues an ...

London council failed to review its support for disabled children 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 ...

Staffordshire council missed multiple deadlines reviewing girl’s special needs plans Staffordshire council’s consistently poor administration of a county teen’s special educational needs plan left her college unable to properly support her, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. The girl, who has autism spectrum disorder and physical disabilities, moved to a new college from he ...

City of Wolverhampton Council to improve its adoption recruitment process Wolverhampton council has agreed to ensure its adoption recruitment procedure adheres to statutory guidance, following an Ombudsman investigation. The move has come following a woman’s complaint about the way she was assessed and rejected for adoption by an agency acting on the council’s behalf. The Ombudsman found the agen ...

Kent couple lost valuable time together because of council errors A Kent couple lost valuable time together after the council placed one partner in a care home against her wishes following a hospital stay, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found. Before the hospital stay, the man had been looking after the woman, who had previously suffered brain damage, without help at their hom ...

Bexley council failed to learn from previous school transport complaints London Borough of Bexley has been heavily criticised by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman after it failed to make agreed improvements to the way it decides school transport applications for children with disabilities. While the council implemented some of the changes, the Ombudsman still has concerns about the c ...