Service improvements

London Borough of Ealing

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027

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 - 1 of 1 cases with service improvements

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  • London Borough of Ealing (24 015 544)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 27-May-2026

    Summary

    Mr and Mrs X complained that the London Boroughs of Ealing, Hounslow and Southwark failed to manage properly the proposed adoptive placement with them. This led to them not having a child placed with them, as they had expected. We find some fault causing avoidable distress, grief and time and trouble for the complainants. The Councils have agreed the recommended ways to remedy their injustice, and to implement service improvements to prevent a recurrence of faults in this case. We have therefore completed our investigation and are closing the complaint.

    Service improvements

    Adopt London West (ALW) with Adopt London South (ALS) will:work together to prepare a written leaflet (and/or online guidance) specifically for prospective adopters, setting out the procedures for meet before match meetings, their purpose and how they will be introduced to the child, and emphasising that a child will not be placed with them until formal approval by an adoption panel and agency decision maker. It should also be made clear in any guidance that decisions about a second meet before match meeting should be formally approved by management to properly assess and analyse why this might be necessary. The guidance should also explain that there are no payable expenses, and no adoption certificate will be issued until formal approval;if photographs/video are to be taken at the meet before match meetings, prospective adopters should consent in writing and be told what will happen to the photographs. It should be acceptable for prospective adopters not to agree to be photographed without concern that this would be regarded negatively. And, if prospective adopters decide that, in light of the information above, they would prefer to wait until formal approval, they should be offered the option of virtual observations of the child instead of a meet before match meeting.obtain prospective adopters’ formal written consent to the use of telephone messages, and be told that messages (including theirs) will be placed on relevant files. Also arrange a meeting with the medical advisor early in the process and consider whether prospective adopters should meet the foster carer before meeting the child.only arrange a family zoom meeting/appreciation day, and other transitional arrangements, once formal approval has been given.should develop a complaints policy that recognises relevant adoption-relatedmatters should be considered under the statutory Children Act complaintprocedures, and that there should be a joint, coordinated investigation (whenmore than one Council/RAAs is involved) led by the corporate parent, or in other cases, where the child resides.

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