Telford council ordered to re-open probe into disabled girl’s post-hospital care

The girl, referred to as “M” in the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s report, was discharged into a children’s home under an interim care order.

This, the author says, was granted because of concerns her grandparents, “Mr and Mrs F, needed training to look after her properly. But Mr and Mrs F complained that M had “lost weight and suffered ill health” in the home, which they said “could not meet her complex needs”.

Telford & Wrekin Council did not uphold the complaint and declined to carry out a level two investigation, before the family complained to the ombudsman.

However the LGO report states: “Whilst Mr and Mrs F do not have parental responsibility, they are former guardians who cared for M for 10 years.

"They have previously been deemed persons with a sufficient interest in M’s welfare and I can see no reason why they should not be again.”

The council has now agreed to begin a stage-two investigation within one month of the decision and notify Mrs F of the arrangements and process.