Service improvements

Swindon Borough Council

Showing service improvements between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2026

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 - 3 of 3 cases with service improvements

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Downloads the current filtered list of service improvement decisions for Swindon Borough Council as a CSV file.

  • Swindon Borough Council (22 012 439)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 10-May-2023

    Summary

    Mr and Mrs E complained how the Council handled allegations they raised about an incident that took place at their son’s school. They also say the Council failed to comply with the timescales set out in its complaints procedure and the statutory guidance. We find some fault with the way the Council dealt with the allegations Mr and Mrs E raised. The Council apologised to Mr and Mrs E, offered them a suitable financial payment and implemented service improvements. However, the Council was also at fault for its delays during the statutory complaints procedure and for how it responded to the investigating officer’s report. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to implement further service improvements to prevent a recurrence of the fault.

    Service improvements

    The Council will review the operation of its statutory complaints procedure to identify where it can make changes to prevent delays.The Council will issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure the response to an investigating officer’s report is sufficiently detailed and fully addresses the complainant’s desired outcomes.

  • Swindon Borough Council (22 010 414)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 20-Aug-2023

    Summary

    The Council was at fault for how it arranged contact sessions between Miss X’s two children while one of them was in care. It was also at fault for how it dealt with Miss X’s complaints. It has agreed to offer symbolic payments to recognise the injustice caused. It has also agreed to offer a further symbolic payment to recognise the injustice caused by a separate matter – communication with Miss X prior to care proceedings – for which it accepted it was at fault before our involvement.

    Service improvements

    The Council has agreed to send us an action plan setting out how it will avoid similar communication, sibling contact and complaints-handling problems happening again in future. In doing so, it will consider the possibility of staff training, staff supervision, and procedural changes.

  • Swindon Borough Council (22 001 043)

    Category: Children's care services Date: 09-Nov-2022

    Summary

    Mr and Mrs X complained the Council failed to provide them with appropriate information about two children they adopted in 2019 which they say contributed to the breakdown of the placement. There was no fault in how the Council investigated Mr and Mrs X’s complaints under the statutory children’s complaints procedure or the recommendations made. It agreed to provide us with evidence it has completed them. The Council significantly delayed carrying out the complaints procedure and failed to provide Mr and Mrs X with the stage 3 report which was fault. It agreed to pay them £300 to remedy the injustice that caused.

    Service improvements

    The Council investigated a complaint under the statutory children's complaints procedure about a failure to provide appropriate information about children prior to their adoption which resulted in it agreeing to a number of recommendations. The Council agreed to provide the Ombudsman with evidence it has carried out the recommendations agreed at stages 2 and 3 of the procedure. This includesreminding staff to handle data correctly;reminding staff and relevant partners to ensure prospective adoptors are aware of support mechanisms available to them and to manage expectations around the available support;reminding duty managers to keep written logs of the calls and advice given to adopters.give scrutiny to the matching and adoption process to identify any learning.

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