A disabled mum has been given a council payout after a dispute over the handling of a child protection investigation.

Problems began in 2020, when Reading childrens services carried out the investigation assessment due to concerns raised about her children.

It held an Initial Child Protection Conference and the children were made subject of a Child Protection Plan.

Although that protection plan ended in 2021, the children remained an open case with social services and treated as ‘children in need’.

During the process, the mother raised a complaint with the way childrens services had carried out the assessment, the first complaint being filed in May 2020.

However, this was during a time when the complaints service was suspended due to COVID-19, which resumed in July.

While the council eventually concluded an investigation into her complaint, the mum was unhappy and progressed it in April 2021, leading to the council appointing an independent investigating officer and an independent person to oversee the case.

However, the mum was still dissatisfied with the council’s complaints procedure, arguing it had not properly considered evidence she had submitted.

Further stages of the process and complaints from the mum arose between January and July 2022.

Due to an impasse, the mum asked the local government and social care ombudsman (LGO) to investigate the issue.

Ultimately, the ombudsman ruled that Reading childrens services was at fault for delays in the completion of the complaints process and occasionally failing to copy her representative into correspondence.

A LGO report described the mum as having an undisclosed disability which meant she was often supported by a representative, who she asked to be incorporated into correspondence which was not always followed.

Childrens services have admitted fault and paid £200 to the mum in recognition of the time and trouble she experienced due to delays in the complaint process.

However, the ombudsman did not find fault with the way the procedure took place and cannot question Reading childrens service’s decision as it is not an appeal body.

Furthermore, the ombudsman did not uphold the mum’s complaints that childrens services had not made reasonable adjustments in recognition of her disability.

The LGO concluded: “The mum asked the council to communicate in writing, copy in her representative, arrange meetings in the afternoon and allow her extra time to respond.

“The records show the council provided those reasonable adjustments during the statutory complaint procedure and in its consideration of her related complaints.

“Occasionally the council neglected to copy in her representative, however it apologised and immediately rectified it.

“The council also offered to support the mum with a referral to an advocacy service.

“There was no fault in the council’s actions.”

Childrens services in Reading have been run by the council-owned company Brighter Futures for Children (BFfC) since December 2018.

A spokesperson for BFfC said: “We note the LGO’s finding that the council and BFfC is not required to take any further action regarding this case.

“The Ombudsman found that BFfC had previously identified there was a delay in completing the complaints process and had already paid appropriate compensation to the woman.”