Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s failure to reassess financial support for an adoptive parent, and its failure to provide mediation after the complainant informed the Council that the complainant and his ex-partner were separating in 2015. This is because the events happened too long ago, and I see no good reason to exercise discretion and investigate these matters now.

The complaint

1. The complainant, who I will call Mr X, complains about the lack of support that the council provided to he and his children as an adoptive parent. Mr X says he informed the Council in 2015 that he and his ex-partner were separating, but the Council failed to carry out a financial reassessment and failed to arrange mediation. Mr X says he and his children have suffered financially as a result.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. 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)

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
6. The complainant now has an opportunity to comment on my draft decision. I will consider their comments before making a final decision.

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My assessment

7. In 2014, the Council carried out a financial assessment of Mr X and his ex-partner, as prospective adoptive parents of two children. Adoption orders were subsequently issued to both Mr X and his ex-partner.
8. Mr X says that in March 2015, he informed the Council that he and his ex-partner were separating. Mr X says the Council carried out a financial reassessment of his ex-partner, and that he was awarded £5000. Mr X says no reassessment was carried out for him. He also says the Council should have arranged mediation at the time, and that its failure to do so resulted in court action. Mr X says the Council should therefore pay his legal fees.
9. I will not investigate this complaint. This is because the events happened some six years ago, but Mr X did not complain to the Council about this until 2020. I see no reason why he could not have complained to the Council, and subsequently the Ombudsman, sooner.
10. Mr X has said that he did regularly contact the Council about its financial support between 2015 and when he made his complaint. However, I have reviewed these correspondence and I do not consider that they constitute a complaint.

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Final decision

11. I will not investigate this complaint. This is because the events happened too long ago, and I see no good reason to exercise discretion and investigate them now.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman