Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about child protection action. This is because we cannot achieve what the complainant wants.

The complaint

1. The complainant, who I will refer to as Miss C, complains that the Council has been at fault in child protection action relating to her children.

Back to top

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 effect on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start an investigation if the tests set out in our Assessment Code are not met. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

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

Back to top

My assessment

5. Miss C’s children have been the subject of child protection action. She complains that the social worker has been at fault and her children have been wrongly placed on a child protection plan. She wants a different social worker, and for one of her children to be taken off the child protection plan. She also wants financial compensation.
6. The Ombudsman will not investigate Miss C’s complaint because we cannot achieve the outcomes she wants. It is for the Council to allocate work amongst its staff and the Ombudsman does not recommend the replacement of specific officers. The decision to place the children on a child protection plan was made by the initial child protection conference, which is a multi-agency body. The Ombudsman cannot ask for its decision to be reversed. In the circumstances, there is nothing to be achieved by our intervention.

Back to top

Final decision

7. We will not investigate Miss C’s complaint because we cannot achieve the outcome she wants.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman