Service improvements

Surrey County 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 Surrey County Council as a CSV file.

  • Surrey County Council (21 006 640)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 27-Mar-2022

    Summary

    Ms X complained the Council failed to arrange suitable contact with her children or update her on their progress while they lived with foster carers. The Council was at fault for failing to send Ms X some of the records of her contact sessions with the children. The missed contact records caused Ms X undue distress. We recommend the Council apologise and send her the records. The Council was also at fault for failing to properly facilitate arrangements for a family holiday. It had already taken appropriate steps to remedy that fault. The Council was not at fault in the other matters Ms X complained about.

    Service improvements

    The Council will amend its Children's Services policy to include a timescale for sending its records of supervised contact between parents and their children when the children are in foster care.

  • Surrey County Council (20 012 066)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 20-Oct-2021

    Summary

    X, Mr W and Ms Y complained the Council failed to fulfil its statutory duty to safeguard and promote X’s welfare. The Ombudsman has not found fault by the Council in the action it took to safeguard and promote X’s welfare but has found fault with its complaint handling. The Council has agreed to remedy this by apologising and making a payment to reflect the time and trouble this caused.

    Service improvements

    Provide us with evidence it has shared a copy of this decision with complaint managers to capture learning from it and reminded staff how they should follow the statutory complaint procedure.

  • Surrey County Council (20 011 328)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 01-Sep-2021

    Summary

    We do not find fault in the investigation of Miss Y’s complaint about the Council’s social care involvement with her children, C and D. We do not uphold the points of complaint which Miss Y continues to dispute because they have been subject to a thorough and independent investigation. However, we are not satisfied the Council has fully completed all parts of the agreed remedy, so it will undertake the actions listed at the end of this statement.

    Service improvements

    The Council will provide evidence to the Ombudsman of the written leaflets/guidance/information it has produced for families following the Stage 3 panel’s recommendations.

  • Surrey County Council (20 006 020)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 30-Nov-2021

    Summary

    The Council is at fault as there is evidence to show it was not even handed towards Mr X during a child protection enquiry, there were inaccuracies in its children and families assessment, it failed to amend minutes of a child protection conference as agreed and its advice regarding contact between Mr X and his son lacked clarity. The Council also wrongly refused to consider Mr X’s complaint. These faults caused distress and frustration to Mr X. The Council has agreed to remedy this injustice by apologising to Mr X and making a payment of £500.

    Service improvements

    Reviews its procedures for carrying out child and families assessments/child protection enquiries to ensure officers are even handed, consider counter allegations and all relevant evidence.Reviews its complaints procedures to ensure officers consider if there is an underlying complaint which can be considered through its complaints procedure.

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