Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions in supporting Mr X with making decisions about his accommodation. We cannot achieve the outcomes Mrs X seeks.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complained the Council failed to take her husband’s (Mr X’s) complex needs into account when supporting him with decisions about his accommodation. She said the Social Worker blamed her for Mr X’s behaviours and said the matter has caused her significant distress. She wanted the social worker to be suspended pending further training, to be removed from Mr X’s case and not allowed to work with other vulnerable adults, and to apologise.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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 we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mrs X complained to us about the Council’s work with her husband and the impact this has had on her.
6. We could not achieve the outcomes Mrs X seeks if we investigated her complaint. We cannot make recommendations relating to suspension of social workers or restrictions on their practice. It is open to Mrs X to contact Social Work England as the regulator for social workers.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because we cannot achieve the outcomes she seeks.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman