Issue - meetings

This report sets out the findings of a recent investigation undertaken by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that relates to both Housing and Children’s Services. The Cabinet considered the report at a meeting on 4 May 2021, the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered it at a meeting on 9 June 2021 and the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered it at a meeting held on 1 July 2021.

Background:

This report provided Council with the findings of a recent investigation undertaken by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) that related to both Housing and Children’s Services. The report confirmed that the Council had complied with all the recommendations set out in the LGSCO’s report, including further training. 

As required by the LGSCO, the Cabinet had considered the Ombudsman findings on 4 May 2021 (attached at Appendix A to the report), which identified fault that had caused injustice and set out a range of recommendations for the Council. The Cabinet had noted the Ombudsman findings.

The report had also been considered by the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 9 June 2021 and the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 1 July 2021. The comments of these Committees were set out in sections 4 and 5 of report respectively.

The Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Services, Councillor Doe, supported by the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services – Lead Member, Councillor Mrs Josie Iles, proposed the recommendations set out in the report.

Decision:

a)    The Council noted the comments of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as set out at sections 4 and 5 of the report.

b)    The Council noted the report, including the update set out in section 6 of the report and the Ombudsman’s report attached at Appendix A.

This report sets out the findings of a recent investigation undertaken by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that relates to both Housing and Children’s Services. The Cabinet considered the report at its meeting on 4 May 2021 and the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered it at its meeting on 9 June 2021.

Discussion:

Members considered a report which set out the findings of an investigation undertaken by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that related to both housing and children’s services. Officers confirmed that the Ombudsman had been satisfied with the Council’s response to its findings and had closed the complaint.

Members raised the following issues which were responded to:

·        Member involvement – It was confirmed that there had been no Member involvement in the issues which had led to the complaint being made.

·        How the Council dealt with hard to reach families with complex issues, particularly in relation to homelessness legislation – Officers advised that, in response to this case, Housing and Children’s Services had worked to ensure that there was early intervention to resolve issues before it was necessary to make determinations under the definition of intentionally homeless in the homelessness legislation.

·        Given that the child was known to Children’s Services, the absence of a ‘red flag’ to signpost the child through the service – Officers said that they had recognised the need for a joined-up approach by the two services from the outset, rather than a sequential approach. The use of Personal Housing Plans ensured that all services were brought together to address the needs of the whole family. In this instance, the family had not wanted to engage with Children’s Services on the terms offered and the Ombudsman had concluded that more could have been done by the Council.

·        As a unitary authority, there needed to be shared learningand improved communication between services to ensure there was not a similar case – Officers said that it was not possible to completely rule out the risk of there being a similar case as front-line staff were making difficult decisions every day. However, learning from this case had been shared across teams within the Council and also with other authorities through the Kent Housing Group. Central to the case was the intentionally homeless decision under the legislation and a different approach was now adopted with temporary accommodation being offered for a longer period of time whilst this decision was considered. Also, an extra layer of governance had been put in place to ensure that challenging cases were discussed, and a way forward agreed, by a joint panel involving colleagues from a range of services.

Decision:

The Committee noted the report and the Ombudsman’s report attached at Appendix A to the report.