Case Ref: 20 001 244 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Friends and family carers

• By training, or other means, the Council will ensure officers provide clear and timely advice to people voluntarily caring for a child if the Council considers it to be a family arrangement. The Council should clearly explain it is a family arrangement and state who is financially responsible for the child. This is to enable people to make an informed decision on whether they should care for, and continue to care for, the child.

Case Ref: 19 020 412 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Child protection

• Council to provide relevant staff with reminder of the importance of record keeping and recording the rationale for decisions and actions.

Case Ref: 19 017 233 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to provide details to the Ombudsman of the improvements it has made for checking provision is in place following a new or amended Education Health and Care Plan.

Case Ref: 20 000 974 Category: Environment and regulation Sub Category: Other

• The Council will review its policies and procedures and consider if more specific guidance can be issued to relevant staff regarding the threshold for issuing a Community Protection Notice . It is recommended the Council ensures its policies and procedures are in line with the test set out in the practitioner’s manual.
• The Council should make its policies and procedures for investigating incidents involving dogs available on its website.

Case Ref: 19 013 652 Category: Housing Sub Category: Private housing

• The Council has agreed to remind or provide training to relevant staff about the Council’s duties under the Equality Act and the Human Rights Act.

Case Ref: 19 012 945 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council has agreed to share the lessons learned with its safeguarding team, especially about the importance of completing enquiries within a timely manner and involving the Office of the Public Guardian when needed.
• The Council will inform the Ombudsman of any measures it has taken since this case, to ensure that it provides information and advice, when needed, about how to end a tenancy, when a client goes into a care home permanently.

Case Ref: 19 012 779 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The council agreed to review its procedures and staff training to improve its administration and ensure accurate information is provided about being away from temporary accommodation in future.
• The Council agreed to review the way reports of issues in temporary accommodation such as disrepair, pests or anti-social behaviour are recorded and followed up to ensure both the person affected and Council are notified of the outcome with evidence of action taken as appropriate.