The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions during its engagement with the complainant’s family. The complaint is late and there are no grounds to consider it now.
The complaint
The complainant, Mrs X, complains that the Council’s social workers were at fault in their engagement with her family.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
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 has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
The Council became involved with Mrs X’s family in 2018, following a referral from her child’s school. The evidence shows that her children were treated as Children in Need, and that the case was subsequently stepped up to a child protection matter.
Miss X says her experience with the first social worker assigned to her children was positive. However, she says subsequent social workers bullied her, discriminated against her and used false information against her. She wants action taken against two named social workers, personal apologies from the officers involved and a financial remedy.
The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because it is late. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about what a council has done. Mrs X complained to the Council in 2019 and the Council informed her of her right to come to the Ombudsman in 2020. Her complaint concerns events which are five years old and there are no grounds for us to consider it now.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because it is late and there are no grounds to consider it now.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman