Source · SPSO (Scottish Public Services Ombudsman)

Scottish Borders Council

SPSO (Scottish Public Services Ombudsman) Not Upheld Reference 201901597 Sector Local Government Category Child services and family support Decided 01 June 2021

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Original decision on the SPSO (Scottish Public Services Ombudsman) website ↗

Full decision

Summary

C complained that the council failed to provide kinship care allowance after they had moved into the area from England, despite them having custody of their grandchild through a Residence Order (a court order which determines where a child should live) from an English court. The council had refused on the basis that they considered the English council should be responsible for the cost of the allowance, unless and until the Residence Order was confirmed by a Scottish court. C was also concerned that the council had failed to provide appropriate support to them and their grandchild.

We took independent advice from a social worker. We found that, apart from a delay of a couple of months when C first applied for assistance, the council had acted appropriately, and that the order in question was not one that was transferrable between England and Scotland. As such, we did not uphold C's complaints.

Related reading

View Decision Report 201901597 as a PDF (24.17 KB) Updated: June 23, 2021

View original on SPSO (Scottish Publ… website