Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with Ms Y’s transition from children’s to adult services. This is because the complaint is late and there is no good reason for us to investigate now.

The complaint

1. Mr and Mrs X complain about how the Council handled their daughter Ms Y’s transition from children to adult services from 2022-2023.

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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 late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. The Ombudsman normally expects people to complain to us within twelve months of them becoming aware of a problem, as required by law. Mr and Mrs X were aware of the matters in the complaint for much longer than 12 months before they complained to us. The complaint is therefore late.
7. We look at each complaint individually, and on its merits, considering the circumstances of each case. But we do not exercise discretion to accept a late complaint unless there are good reasons to do so. I do not consider that to be the case here. I see no good reason Mr and Mrs X could not have asked the Ombudsman to consider the matter sooner.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate this complaint because it is late, and it was reasonable for Mr and Mrs X to have complained sooner.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman