50% increase in complaints about Walsall children's social care services

The number of complaints about children's social care services in Walsall increased by 50 per cent in just 12 months, it has emerged.

There were 166 complaints investigated by Walsall Council between April 2013 and March this year, compared to 111 in the previous financial year.

Council bosses insist this was a small amount compared to the number of cases dealt with through children's services.

It comes despite the council's children's safeguarding services having its improvement notice lifted earlier this summer, following a damning Ofsted report two years ago.

It claimed children were at 'potential risk of harm' and highlighted eight areas of practice which were inadequate.

Council chiefs have admitted there was still work to do within the service.

A report from Colin Teasdale, principle corporate performance officer, explained: "In considering the number of complaints received, it is important to view in the context of the number of cases Walsall Children's Services deals with each year.

"During 2013/14, there were 7,213 unique cases dealt with and the 166 complaints received related to just 96 of these cases, meaning that nearly 99 per cent of the cases open to children' services did not give rise to a formal complaint under these procedures."

"The most common reasons for complaints were poor communication, disagreement with information contained in assessments and reports, and delays of the time taken to receive a services."

He added that 13 per cent relate to just three families, of which one now falls under the unreasonable and unreasonably persistent complaints procedures.

During the last year, the Local Government Ombudsman carried out 10 investigations, of which no fault was found in seven, one was discontinued and the other two are on-going.

More than 60 per cent of the complaints came from parents and 24 per cent from children or young people. This saw 29 made directly and 11 through an independent advocate.

Others came from the likes of foster carers and relatives or family friends, although one came through a solicitor.

In his report Mr Teasdale added complaints are discussed on a monthly basis and action is taken to learn from them.

A new procedure was introduced in January and has included more emphasis on direct contact with the complainant and manager.

A fresh reporting system has come into force and greater emphasis has been placed on resolving problems earlier.