Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the actions and behaviour of a support worker. This is because the complaint is not in our jurisdiction.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains about the actions and behaviour of a support worker. She says the support worker was intimidating and had threatened to report her to the police.

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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 complaints about actions which are not the administrative function of a council. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(1) as amended).

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mrs X complains about the actions and behaviour of a support worker. This support worker was working with the father of her children.
7. The Council explained the support worker is from an independent and external company. The Council confirmed it had not commissioned any service from this external company.
8. We cannot investigate this complaint as it is about matters which are not the administrative function of a council or about a service which was the council’s function to provide. It is open to Mrs X to make a complaint about the support worker to the independent company.

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Final decision

9. We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint because the complaint is not in our jurisdiction.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman