Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the way the Council responded to safeguarding concerns Miss B raised about family members. Any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Miss B complains about vulnerable family members who have been let down by the Council’s adult social care team. Miss B said family members have been physically, mentally and financially abused causing her and other family distress. As an outcome she wants the Council to act on concerns about vulnerable adults without delay.

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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
• any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• 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. Miss B raised concerns with the Council about concerns she had about vulnerable family members. Miss B said the Council had been slow to act and this left family members at risk of abuse.
6. The Council responded to Miss B in March 2025 and said as advised previously it could not share personal information without the consent from the family members she had referred. It said it would pass her concerns to the relevant social work team and its safeguarding team so they could be aware of the issues.
7. We will not investigate this complaint because any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. The Council actions should provide Miss B with reassurance it has acted on her concerns.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Miss B’s complaint because any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman