by political editor Paul Francis

Social services chiefs have issued a public apology after a council watchdog criticised them over two cases involving people in residential care.

Kent County Council said that in both cases, the criticism was not related to the quality of care they had received, but to the arrangements made for their care.

The local government ombudsman said KCC was guilty of maladministration over the case involving an elderly woman discharged from hospital who needed respite care.

Her daughter found a place at a home on the council's approved list but social services refused to pay the fees for four weeks.

Senior managers said the council's policy was only to agree short-term care where it was in a council-run home or had been pre-paid.

That was contrary to government policy and KCC had failed to correct its mistake when the daughter had complained, said ombudsman Anne Seex.

KCC said it recognised that it had got things wrong and had agreed to pay the costs of £1,560.

Cllr Graham Gibbens, KCC Cabinet member for adult social care and public health, said: "It is important that we take responsibility for the things we got wrong in each case.

"We have apologised wholeheartedly in both cases and have taken lessons from both cases.

"In both situations, members of staff were working within the guidance that was issued at the time. However, while this might offer some kind of explanation, it is no excuse and we are constantly striving to improve the way we work in adult social care."

Changes had since been made that meant that services had improved, he added.

In a second case, KCC was found guilty of maladministration causing injustice after a case involving the transition of a child to adult social services.