Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a Council’s safeguarding investigation which took place in 2017. We cannot not consider matters which happened over 12 months ago.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained about how the Council handled an alleged safeguarding incident regarding his son in 2017. He said the incident has negatively affected his son.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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

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

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Final decision

5. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the alleged incident took place more than 12 months ago.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman