The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) has issued a reminder to authorities that complaints from children must be listened to.
Its message comes as a case in which two adopted children made allegations about their former foster carer but these were ignored. Two girls, aged four and five at the time, told their new mother that their previous foster carer had subjected them to poor treatment, including hitting them, giving them cold baths and making one wear a nappy designed for disabled children.
The new mother contacted the council regarding the children’s allegations, and a Local Authority Designated Officer declared that it was a serious issue that needed to addressed, Family Law Week reported. However, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council did not proceed with the matter properly - no meeting was held and the allegations were not handled seriously.
The LGO, which examines complaints about councils, among other authorities and organisations, spoke after an investigation was brought against Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. The result of the case was that the council has been asked to apologise to the adoptive mother, and agree a clear plan for how it will interview the children as a matter of urgency. It has also been ordered to pay £200 to the adoptive mother and £200 to each child for the distress the incident has caused.
Dr Jane Martin of the LGO commented: “While I recognise that councils often have difficult judgement calls to make, the statutory children’s complaints procedure is not optional and is there to make sure vulnerable young people’s voices are being heard. The children themselves must be central to the complaint to ensure that their needs are met.
“I would now urge Dudley council to review its policies and procedures to ensure that it takes complaints from children with the seriousness they deserve.”