The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a safeguarding assessment. This is because an investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
The complaint
Mrs X complains about how the Council carried out a Child and Family Assessment after it received a referral raising concerns about Mrs X’s child. She wants the assessment to be amended.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide further investigation would not lead to a different outcome. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
The Council completed a Child and Family Assessment which included information obtained by other bodies. Mrs X disagrees with the contents of the assessment and the decision to obtain certain information.
In responding to Mrs X’s complaint, the Council fully explained to Mrs X which bodies it obtained information from and why. It apologised to Mrs X for giving her conflicting information regarding whether consent was needed from Mrs X to complete the assessment. It agreed to add a note to the case file stating that Mrs X disagrees with information contained in the assessment.
I will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because doing so would not lead to a different outcome. The Council has apologised for a miscommunication about consent and fully explained to Mrs X what information it sought and why. We cannot instruct the Council to rewrite the assessment, so its agreement to add a note to it is reasonable and proportionate.
Final decision
We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because doing so would not lead to a different outcome.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman