London Borough of Southwark (19 013 220)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 20-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s preparation, service and content of a Court ordered report. The report forms part of legal proceedings and the law prevents us from investigating legal proceedings.

Plymouth City Council (19 013 740)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 17-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman should not investigate Mr J’s complaint about the actions of social workers involved with his family, and the way the Council handled his data. This is because other organisations are better placed to the consider the issues Mr J has raised.

Blackpool Borough Council (19 013 180)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 17-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the information the Council provided a Court. We should not investigate her children’s welfare as a Court is considering this.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (19 013 416)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 17-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman should not investigate Mr J’s complaint that the Council has failed to share with him information relating to meetings about his children. Further investigation is unlikely to add anything to the investigation which has already taken place.

South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (19 005 036)

Statement Upheld Child protection 16-Jan-2020

Summary: Miss X complains the Council wrongly kept her away from her son between 2010 and 2013 as she believed there was a court order in place. She also complains the Council did not promote contact and did not give her adequate information and support. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for not recognising Miss X’s son was a looked after child sooner. However, the faults did not cause Miss X any injustice. We do not find fault with the Council’s other actions.

Norfolk County Council (19 005 917)

Statement Not upheld Child protection 16-Jan-2020

Summary: The Council was not at fault for its actions in response to a referral which raised concerns about the welfare of Mrs B’s daughter. It acted in line with its statutory duties – and within its legal authority – by considering the available information, conducting an assessment, and closing the case.

Lancashire County Council (19 011 848)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 16-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate this complaint about the Councils actions in response to allegations that the complainant physically abused his children. This is because the matters complained of have been considered in court, or were known to the complainant more than 12 months ago, and are therefore out of the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction.

Lancashire County Council (19 012 512)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 15-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council treated the complainant during a safeguarding investigation. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council and because the complainant can complain to the Information Commissioner.

South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council (19 013 473)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 15-Jan-2020

Summary: Miss X complained about how the Council handled the child protection case for her child. We cannot investigate this complaint as it relates to decisions ultimately made by the courts. The issues Miss X raises would best have been raised as part of proceedings and we cannot achieve the outcome Miss X seeks.

Hartlepool Borough Council (19 013 315)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Child protection 14-Jan-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint about a social worker’s reports. The complaint lies outside our jurisdiction because the matter is inextricably linked to recent court proceedings. The law prevents the Ombudsman from considering matters that have been, or could reasonably be expected to have been, considered in court.