Mr C complained about the care that Swansea Council (“the Council”) provided to his son, Mr A, who is an adult with support needs. He raised concerns about safeguarding, communication, representation and management of finances. Mr C also complained that the Council had failed to adequately respond to his complaints about the service provided to his son.
The Ombudsman found that there were errors and significant delays in handling Mr C’s complaints between 2018 and 2025. Even when complaints were upheld, the Council did not take action to put things right. This damaged the relationship between Mr C and the Council and led him to lose confidence in the Council’s commitment to supporting Mr A. The Ombudsman considered that the Council had not taken appropriate action to ensure that Mr A’s needs were met and that his rights were upheld. The Ombudsman proposed that the Council should take action to resolve the complaint.
The Council agreed to write to Mr C within 1 month to apologise for the poor communication and handling of his complaints, address the unresolved issues and offer Mr C a financial remedy in recognition of the time and trouble taken to pursue his complaint. The Council also agreed to undertake a review of arrangements relating to Mr A’s finances within 3 months. The Ombudsman considered that it was appropriate to settle the complaint on the basis of this action.