East Riding council criticised after children removed from family

East Riding of Yorkshire Council removed the children after the couple decided they wanted to adopt and asked for extra help

Vulnerable siblings were removed from their "first stable family home" with a couple who wanted to adopt them.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council removed the children after their prospective parents asked for extra help from the authority.

The case was highlighted in a report by The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

The authority has apologised for its handling of the case but said the decision to remove them was correct.

'Chaotic background'

The report said there was an unreasonable delay in starting adoption assessments, a lack of transparency over concerns about the foster parents and poor decision making regarding the removal of the children.

It also said the couple, who were reported to be making good progress with the children, were denied the opportunity to appeal the decision through the courts.

Michael King, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said: "Councils must base key decisions about the welfare of children in their care, on sound, balanced evidence and go through the proper process.

"In this case, vulnerable siblings who had had a chaotic background, were removed from their first taste of a stable family life with a couple who had been clear about wanting to give them a permanent home."

The couple, who the children had lived with for about two years, were awarded £5,000 for "their avoidable distress" and a further £500 for their time and trouble in pursuing the complaint.

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In a statement, East Riding of Yorkshire Council said: "The council has accepted the findings and recommendations and has apologised to Mr and Mrs X for those actions in which the council was found to be at fault.

"The council maintains that the decisions made in this case were right for these children. However, we fully accept the decisions were delivered and communicated poorly."