Focus Reports and Good Practice Guides

Focus reports highlight common or systemic issues we see, brought to life with case studies from our complaints. They share learning from complaints to help councils and care providers make improvements, contribute to public policy debates and give elected members tools to scrutinise local services.

Focus reports are web-based publications. If you need any of the documents in a more accessible format, please email website@lgo.org.uk

Children's Services and Education

 Parent Power: personal budgets in EHC plans - published November 2023

 Out of school, out of sight? Ensuring children out of school get a good education - published July 2022

 Guide for practitioners: Children's statutory complaints process - published March 2021 (updated November 2023)

 Careless: Helping to improve council services to children in care - published December 2020

 Not going to plan? Education, Health and Care Plans two years on - published October 2019

 Guide for practitioners: Summer born Admissions - published December 2018

 Firm foundations: council support and advice for special guardians - published May 2018

 Education, Health and Care Plans: our first 100 investigations - published October 2017

 All on board? Navigating school transport issues - published March 2017

 School admission appeals: are parents being heard? - published September 2014

 Special Educational Needs: preparing for the future - published March 2014

 Family values: council services to family and friends who care for others' children - published November 2013

 Out of school ... out of mind? How councils can do more to give children out of school a good education - published September 2011 (amended Jan 2016)

Adult Social Care

 Good record keeping: guide for care providers - published February 2023

 Guide for practitioners: Deprivation of Capital - published August 2022

 Guide for practitioners: Section 117 aftercare - published April 2022

 Caring about Complaints: lessons from our independent care provider investigations - published March 2019

 Guide for practitioners: Funded Nursing Care payments - published February 2018

 The Right to Decide: Towards a greater understanding of mental capacity and deprivation of liberty - published July 2017

 Working together to investigate health and social care complaints - published December 2016

 Counting the cost of care: the council's role in informing public choices about care homes - published September 2015

 Adult social care: LGO - the single point of contact for complaints - published July 2012

Health and Social Care

 People not structures: putting people at the heart of integrated care - published July 2024

Housing

 Guide for practitioners: Domestic abuse and housing decisions - published October 2024 Guide for practitioners: Medical assessments for housing applications - published July 2024 Guide for practitioners: Unsuitable temporary accommodation - published May 2023

 More Home Truths: complaints about the Homelessness Reduction Act - published March 2023

 Home Truths - how well are councils implementing the Homelessness Reduction Act? - published July 2020

 Still no place like home? Councils' continuing use of unsuitable bed and breakfast accommodation to house families - published December 2017

 Making a house a home: Local Authorities and disabled adaptations - published March 2016

 Full House: Councils' role in allocating social housing - published January 2016

 Homelessness: how councils can ensure justice for homeless people - published July 2011 (amended December 2015)

Planning

 Not in my back yard: Local people and the planning process - updated August 2023

 Recording Planning Decisions: guidance for practitioners - published September 2018

Environmental Services

 Guide for Practitioners: Household waste offences - published October 2024 

 'Out of Order': learning lessons from complaints about antisocial behaviour - published August 2023

 Lifting the lid on bin complaints: learning to improve waste and recycling services - published August 2017

Highways and Transport

 Fairer Fines: Ensuring good practice in the management of Parking and Traffic Penalties - published February 2017

Benefits and Taxation

 Focus on Housing Benefits - published January 2020

 Guide for practitioners: Council tax reduction - published August 2019

 Taking possession: councils' use of bailiffs for local debt collection - published November 2012 (amended October 2013)

 Can't pay? Won't pay? Using bankruptcy for council tax debts - published October 2011

Human Rights And Equalities Act

 Equal Justice: Learning lessons from complaints about people's human rights - published December 2022

 Equal Access: Getting it right for people with disabilities - published May 2022

Other subjects

 Unprecedented pressure: learning from complaints about council and care provider actions during the COVID-19 pandemic - published February 2022

 Help! Learning to improve council services for domestic abuse victims - published November 2021

 Guide for practitioners: Armed Forces Covenant - published November 2019

 Under Pressure: the impact of the changing environment on local government complaints - published December 2018

 

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