Service improvements

Kingston upon Hull City Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022

Find out more about service improvements

When we find fault, we can recommend improvements to systems and processes where they haven’t worked properly, so that others do not suffer from these same problems in future. Common examples are policy changes; procedural reviews; and staff training. Service improvements from decisions are published for 5 years and those from reports are published for 10 years.

Showing 1 - 4 of 4 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for Kingston upon Hull City Council as a CSV file.

  • Kingston upon Hull City Council (21 005 838)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 11-Mar-2022

    Summary

    The Council was at fault when it unnecessarily delayed and poorly handled its investigation into an allegation that Mr X had abused his foster child. The investigation found the allegation to be unsubstantiated. Mr X said the Council’s actions caused him and his family avoidable distress. We have found fault leading to injustice and recommended a financial remedy and service improvements.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to provide evidence of learning and service improvements it has made to date regarding how to handle cases involving an abuse allegation against a foster carer.The Council has agreed to demonstrate that it has considered whether its own Managing Allegations policy should set out typical timescales for investigations into allegations of abuse, as we note it does not currently.The Council has agreed to demonstrate that it has reminded staff, through appropriate training, of: the importance of communication with foster carers and timely investigations when an allegation has been raised; the criteria for Local Authority Designated Officer involvement during investigations into allegations of abuse; the importance during meetings of ensuring that a plan for who will interview the child about the allegation is in place, with clear deadlines; the role the foster carers’ Fostering Social Worker has during the process, especially regarding emotional support, attending meetings and collection of evidence; and the Council’s obligations to provide its foster carers with an up-to-date history of their potential foster children prior to placement.

  • Kingston upon Hull City Council (20 011 279)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 17-Oct-2021

    Summary

    Mrs X complained about how the Council responded to an allegation her husband, Mr X, hurt a child they were caring for. The Council failed to properly record how it decided not to temporarily place the children with their aunt. This caused Mr and Mrs X and the children in the household uncertainty. The Council will pay Mr and Mrs X £200 and place this decision on the children’s records. The Council will also remind its staff they must make suitable records of its safeguarding decisions and how they are in a child’s best interests.

    Service improvements

    The Council will remind its staff they must make proper records of their decisions in safeguarding enquiries and how they are in the children's best interests.The Council will ensure staff are aware of the Council's discretion to consider child protection complaints under the statutory children's complaints procedure.The Council will remind staff they must respond promptly to information that may impact on a child's welfare.

  • Kingston upon Hull City Council (20 005 093)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 08-Feb-2022

    Summary

    Mr and Mrs K complain the Council did not treat their nephew as a looked after child, after its social worker asked them to accommodate him. That meant they did not receive a fostering allowance. The Ombudsman upholds the complaint, as we find fault with the Council’s communications and record keeping. We cannot say the Council should have treated Mr and Mrs K’s nephew as a looked after child. But the Council has agreed to our recommendation of a remedy for the uncertainty caused by the faults.

    Service improvements

    Provide a copy of this statement to the officers involved in the events under complaint.

  • Kingston upon Hull City Council (20 001 983)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 22-Jun-2021

    Summary

    Mr and Mrs X complained about the way the Council acted after it received a safeguarding referral for their children, H and K. The Ombudsman finds the Council’s failure to tell Mr and Mrs X the safety plan was a voluntary agreement was fault. That meant they did not understand their rights when Mr X moved out of the family home. The Council has agreed to apologise to Mr and Mrs X and amend its safety plan documentation to remedy the injustice caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to amend the child protection safety plan template it uses to ensure signatories understand the agreement is voluntary and to explain any consequences of not following the agreement.

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