Lancashire failed to act

The local government ombudsman has ruled that Lancashire Council
failed to adequately respond to a complainant’s requests for
assistance while caring for a teenage girl under a private
fostering arrangement.

The foster carer had requested a social work assessment and both
financial and practical assistance, but the council failed to
comply with its statutory duty to visit her promptly, local
ombudsman Patricia Thomas found.

In addition, no police checks were carried out, there was a
delay in providing social worker and financial assistance and the
council failed to provide details of its complaints procedure
despite a clear request.

Thomas said the client and the teenage girl suffered anxiety
over finance, and the latter lost educational opportunities. The
council agreed to pay £500 to the foster carer and £200
to the teenage girl.