Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s children’s services involvement with the complainants family. This is because the events happened too long ago.

The complaint

1. The complainant, who I will call Miss C, complains about the Council’s children’s services involvement with her family in 2012 and 2013.

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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. Miss C complains about the Council’s children’s services involvement with her family in 2012 and 2013.
7. I will not investigate this complaint because the events happened too long ago. I see no reason why Miss C could not have complained about these matters to the Council, and subsequently the Ombudsman, sooner.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Miss C’s complaint because the events happened too long ago.

Investigator’s decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman