London Borough of Havering (25 003 127)

Statement Upheld Other 26-Aug-2025

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to handle her complaint properly via the children’s statutory complaint procedure. The Council was at fault. Despite assuring the Ombudsman it would start the procedure; it failed to do so. Miss X has been denied her right to a proper investigation into her complaint. The Council has agreed to apologise to Miss X and start the children’s statutory complaints procedure without delay.

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council (25 010 055)

Statement Upheld Other 25-Aug-2025

Summary: We have upheld Mr X’s complaint because the Council delayed arranging a panel to consider his complaint at stage three of the children’s statutory complaints procedure. The Council has now agreed to resolve the complaint by apologising to Mr X and making a payment to him to remedy the time and trouble he has been to.

Sheffield City Council (25 010 306)

Statement Upheld Other 25-Aug-2025

Summary: We have upheld Mrs X’s complaint because the Council delayed arranging a panel to consider a complaint at stage three of the children’s statutory complaints procedure. The Council has now agreed to resolve the complaint by arranging the panel, apologising to Mrs X and making a payment to her to remedy the time and trouble she has been to.

Lancashire County Council (24 017 112)

Statement Upheld Other 21-Aug-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained about delays in carrying out a Child in Need assessment for her child, Y and about non-delivery of social care support. The Council was at fault for failing to consider Ms X’s complaint through the children’s statutory complaint procedure. The Council agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to Mrs X to acknowledge the distress and frustration this caused. It will now consider Mrs X’s complaint by starting a stage two investigation through the statutory procedure.

Bath and North East Somerset Council (25 005 499)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 21-Aug-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of contact between him and his children. The law prevents us from investigating anything that is or has been subject of court proceedings.

Lincolnshire County Council (25 005 950)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 21-Aug-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the conduct of a social worker during court proceedings. The law prevents us from investigating what happened in court and there is another body better placed to consider the conduct of social workers.

London Borough of Lambeth (25 009 593)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 20-Aug-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about a delay at stage two of the children’s statutory complaints process. This is because the Council apologised for the delay and has now completed the second stage of the process. An investigation by the Ombudsman is unlikely to achieve anything further.

London Borough of Camden (25 003 214)

Statement Upheld Other 19-Aug-2025

Summary: Ms B complained that the Council had delayed excessively in completing the investigation of her complaint at stage two of the statutory children’s complaints procedure. This has caused her frustration and distress. We found the Council had delayed well outside the statutory time limits. The Council has agreed to complete the stage two investigation, apologise to Ms B and pay her £350. It has already taken action to speed up the process.

Kent County Council (25 006 807)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 19-Aug-2025

Summary: We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint about the content of a social worker’s report and information shared with a court. This is because the law says the Ombudsman cannot investigate matters which have been or are being considered by a court.

Brighton & Hove City Council (25 007 864)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 19-Aug-2025

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about information included in a report that the Council provided during court proceedings. The law prevents us from investigating complaints about what happened in court.