A new report published by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman says “fairness, dignity and respect must be at the heart of city council services,” highlighting how people’s basic human rights apply when receiving public services. Share what has been compromised.
The Ombudsman says local governments need to put these fundamental rights “front and center” when designing and delivering their services.
Last year, the Ombudsman conducted 103 investigations in which equality law was a “material aspect of the investigation”, and a further 51 investigations had human rights implications.
The Ombudsman clarified that most of these cases involved “rights to privacy”, particularly those related to those receiving adult care services, but other cases included cases where the Council It involved an inability to provide an education to children and adults being “unfairly deprived of their private lives.” their freedom”.
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Report ‘Equal Justice: Lessons Learned from People’s Human Rights ComplaintsThe paper, published Dec. 1, examines many cases where people are not being treated fairly by local governments and suggests ways other municipalities can avoid making the same mistakes.
Cases in the report include a man with a learning disability who was regularly sedated by care home staff for seven months, affecting his right to private life.
In another case, the council denied the homeless family the right to enjoy family life and failed to identify that the home they lived in was overcrowded. The council’s interference in the dispute affected the father’s rights to family and private life, the ombudsman said.
The Ombudsman also highlighted a new case in which a man with autism was treated badly when his employment, family life and self-esteem were at risk and the local council failed to support his needs in a timely manner. Did.
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Michael King said: It is just as true for people in everyday life as it is for major international events.
“We all have the right to expect these basic standards when using public services. I will ask the City Council for their opinion.”
The report also includes case studies in which the Ombudsman investigated complaints against other rights-based laws and guidance.
These include: the rights of military personnel in armed forces conventions and laws, the rights of persons with protected characteristics as provided for in the Equality Act, and public bodies in fulfilling public sector equality obligations. consideration of requirements for
The report identified common mistakes the council should look out for, including “oversight of contractors, grievance handling, day-to-day decision-making, avoiding cookie-cutter approaches, and designing services from the ground up to protect people’s rights.” is emphasized.
According to the ombudsman, it also provides good practice guidance and sets out examples of questions local councilors can ask authorities to ensure residents’ rights are upheld.
Lottie Winson
