Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about lack of response from Mr X’s social worker to his attempts to make contact. There is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to warrant investigation by the Ombudsman.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained the Council did not properly consider his complaint about lack of contact from his social worker, or resolve the complaint to his satisfaction. He said this led to reduced contact with his social worker, and subsequently caused problems in his accommodation. He wanted the Council to acknowledge his complaint and deal with it correctly.

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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:

• there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

(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.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mr X complained to the Council about his social worker’s lack of response when he attempted to make contact.
6. The Council responded to Mr X explaining his social worker would meet with him monthly, as had been agreed between Mr X and the social worker. It explained that as Mr X had transitioned into new accommodation, his social worker had no work left to complete. It explained that usually, it would reduce contact to yearly at this point however the social worker had remained in contact with Mr X for longer than usual to support him through the transition to new accommodation.
7. Mr X complained to us about the Council’s complaint-handling, and said the outcome he sought was for the Council to acknowledge his complaint and deal with it correctly. There is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council. It issued a response to Mr X’s complaint which explained its stance on the issue he raised. While Mr X disagrees with the Council’s view, this does not mean its response was fault.
8. There is insufficient evidence of fault in the substantive complaint Mr X made to the Council. He had an agreement with the social worker for monthly contact, and there is nothing to suggest the issue Mr X was raising was an urgent one, for example a safeguarding matter. Given Mr X has moved into new accommodation and the social worker’s role normally would have ended, there is not a role for a new social worker. We could not achieve a different outcome by investigating.
9. Mr X raises concerns about problems in his new accommodation. It is open to him to make new requests for social work where there are issues that would require social work intervention, for example if he wishes to consider moving to different accommodation or if he believes there is a safeguarding risk.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman