Southend-on-Sea City Council (23 004 755)

Report Upheld Disabled children 25-Feb-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained that an assessment of her son’s needs inappropriately depicted her wishes and feelings as negative and social workers did not communicate or engage with her appropriately. Mrs X also complained that the Council failed to carry out a proper parent carer’s needs assessment. We found there was no failure to engage and communicate with Mrs X and the statements made in the assessment amounted to professional judgements which we would not criticise. However, we found there was a failure to carry out a proper parent carer’s needs assessment. This was fault. The fault was significant and justified a public report because this was repeated fault which was not put right after a previous investigation we conducted found the same fault and recommended action to put it right. We also found that the Council failed to use the correct complaint process and its response to the complaint was significantly delayed. The failings in the assessment process and complaint handling meant a significant delay in assessing Mrs X to establish what support she may need and the matter has led to frustration and distress.

Lincolnshire County Council (24 016 052)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 25-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions concerning Mr X’s contact with his children. Doing so would not lead to any worthwhile outcome. This is because we could not make any recommendations concerning contact arrangements. Only a court can order fresh contact arrangements. It would therefore be reasonable for Mr X to use his right to go to court to resolve the matter.

Essex County Council (24 016 397)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 25-Feb-2025

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the impact of a safety plan on the progress Mr X’s son was making. The plan complained about was devised by a charity and other bodies, not the Council. The complaint is thus about a matter that was a not a function of the Council. We cannot consider how the Council dealt with Mr X’s complaint about this as the substantive matter lies outside our powers.

Portsmouth City Council (24 003 373)

Statement Not upheld Looked after children 25-Feb-2025

Summary: Mrs Y complained about the residential placements the Council arranged for Z, as a young person in its care. We have ended our investigation of the complaint because: we cannot add to the previous investigation by the Council under the statutory children’s complaints procedure or achieve the outcome Mrs Y wants; and there are other bodies better placed to consider her concerns.

St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council (24 007 341)

Statement Not upheld Friends and family carers 25-Feb-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained that the Council failed to pay her the allowance due to her as a kinship carer. We have found no fault. The Council properly considered the circumstances of the case and made a decision which was consistent with the requirements of government guidance.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (24 016 608)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Looked after children 25-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council refuses to allow the complainant to attend her son’s Looked After Child reviews. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault on the Council’s part to warrant investigation.

Herefordshire Council (24 016 808)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 25-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s assessment of Mr X’s child’s case. The complaint is about a Section 7 court report, which the law prevents us investigating, and related matters that are not separable from the court proceedings.

Lancashire County Council (24 017 740)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 25-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s actions in its Children’s Services involvement with his family. This is because there is no sign of fault in the Council’s decision not to consider his complaint whilst there are ongoing court proceedings.

Essex County Council (24 017 904)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 25-Feb-2025

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

Halton Borough Council (24 015 416)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 24-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about where her grandchild is living. It is unlikely we could say any Council fault directly caused Z to be living with their father.