Lancashire County Council (20 011 861)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Disabled children 19-Mar-2021

Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s decision to take Court action. We will not investigate the events around her child’s return to a residential home as another body is investigating the same events and there is insufficient injustice to warrant our investigation.

Kent County Council (20 005 821)

Statement Upheld Disabled children 12-Mar-2021

Summary: Mr X complained the Council has failed to provide his son, F, with social care support following his discharge from psychiatric hospital in July 2019. The Council failed to investigate Mr X’s complaint under the statutory children’s complaints procedure. This caused Mr X uncertainty about whether the outcome may have been different. The Council agreed to arrange and start a stage 2 investigation under the statutory children’s complaints procedure within one month of the final decision. It also agreed to make a symbolic time and trouble payment to Mr X and review its complaints policy.

Devon County Council (19 021 160)

Statement Upheld Disabled children 26-Feb-2021

Summary: Mrs X complains about the way the Council dealt with her son Y’s care package and agreed the Direct Payments for his care needs. We found fault by the Council in its failure to consider Mrs X’s complaints through the statutory complaint procedure. But this did not cause her a significant injustice because the Council dealt with her concerns through its corporate complaint procedure. However, the Council took too long to in its investigation causing Mrs X frustration and time and trouble in chasing the Council for responses. The Council has accepted our recommended remedy in this case so we have completed our investigation.

Kent County Council (20 009 959)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Disabled children 22-Feb-2021

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr C’s complaint that the Council is at fault in declining his application for a Blue Badge for his disabled son. This is because it is unlikely we would identify fault on the Council’s part.

London Borough Of Barnet (19 013 618)

Statement Upheld Disabled children 22-Feb-2021

Summary: Mr and Mrs B complained about the actions taken by the Council in respect of complaints about the care and support provided to their son (Z) by Children’s Services. We found the Council delayed in the completing the complaints process. It also delayed in progressing the assessment and planning process for Z. This caused frustration, distress and uncertainty to Mr and Mrs B and Z. The Council has agreed to pay the family £800.