Ombudsman responds to NAO report on sustainability of local government finances The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has welcomed the report by the National Audit Office (NAO), highlighting the precarious nature of local government finances due to increased demand for frontline services. The report highlights the increasing number of complaints the Ombudsman receives and upholds, as evi ...

“Just who is left to fight their corner?” – Ombudsman launches report on fostering for councils When ‘Amie’ left care, her local council did not look into her claim that she suffered abuse while living with foster carers properly. This is just one of the cases highlighted in today’s Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman report about fostering in England which demonstrates what can and has go ...

Hackney to review rejected Blue Badge applications from past 16 months following Ombudsman investigation Drivers in Hackney who have been refused a Blue Badge can apply to have their cases reassessed after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found flaws in the local council’s scheme. The Ombudsman investigated a woman’s complaint that London Borough of Hackney had not renewed her badge ...

Ombudsman investigation uncovers significant delays in Yorkshire council’s EHC Plan process Leeds City Council has been criticised for significant delays in making decisions about support for children with special educational needs. An investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found delays by the Council in nearly eight out of 10 Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans even a ...

Ombudsman reminds councils to review SEN needs before Key Stage transfers Councils need to review children’s special educational needs in the run-up to Key Stage transfers, even if they are staying at the same school, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has said. The reminder comes after the Ombudsman investigated a complaint from a Warwickshire parent that the county council had not c ...

Ombudsman reveals huge safeguarding backlog at London council More than 500 unread police welfare reports were uncovered during a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation into a safeguarding complaint about London Borough of Haringey. The Ombudsman was contacted by a woman who complained that Haringey did not act quickly enough when she reported concerns about a friend’s living si ...

Complaints about Fire and Rescue authorities This fact sheet is aimed primarily at anyone who has a complaint about fire services and who may be considering making a complaint to the Ombudsman. Can you investigate my complaint about the fire service? We can decide to investigate many different types of complaint about fire services. That includes complaints about operational matters (fighting fir ...

Moors Park (Bishopsteignton) Ltd refuses to agree to Ombudsman recommendations Devon care provider, Moors Park (Bishopsteignton) Ltd, has refused to apologise to a client’s son and refund his mother and other residents, after the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said the provider had charged them money which was not set out in their contracts. The Ombudsman initially investigated after ...

Ombudsman calls for reform of adult care complaints in annual review Complaints should be at the heart of any reform of adult social care in England, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman is urging in its annual review of complaints. Launched today, the Ombudsman’s annual review collates data from every complaint it has received over the past 12 months about both independent and council- ...

Disabled North Yorkshire residents to see improvements to council’s home adaptations service North Yorkshire Council has agreed to improve the way it deals with Disabled Facilities Grant applications after a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation discovered it had a significant backlog of cases. While investigating a complaint from a resident about the time it was taking for his ...