The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a social worker’s actions. The complaint is late and there is no good reason to exercise discretion to investigate it now.
The complaint
Ms X said a social worker is friends with her ex-partner and had no right to come into her home and to gain access to her personal information. She said the social worker told her ex-partner her new address.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council provider has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
We may decide to investigate a complaint about a late matter if the person complaining was unaware of the matter until recently, or if they have not previously been able to complain.
In this case, Miss X complained to the Council at the end of 2019 about these matters. She was thus aware of and able to complain about them then. She could have approached us much sooner if she was dissatisfied by any response or lack of response by the Council.
Final decision
We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because it is late and there is no good reason to exercise discretion to do so now.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman