Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how a child protection conference was dealt with. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault with how the complaint was dealt with under the Council’s child protection procedures.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about how a child protection conference was dealt with. He says the Council has failed to learn from the issues he has raised and has since increased his family’s safety plan.

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 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. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
3. The law says we cannot normally investigate a complaint unless we are satisfied the organisation knows about the complaint and has had an opportunity to investigate and reply. However, we may decide to investigate if we consider it would be unreasonable to notify the organisation of the complaint and give it an opportunity to investigate and reply. (Local Government Act 1974, section 26(5), section 34(B)6)

Back to top

How I considered this complaint

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

Back to top

My assessment

6. Mr X’s complaint was investigated under the Council’s child protection procedures which upheld the decisions made during the child protection conference. It did recommend that learning be shared with agencies, including the Council, and that the next meeting should be brought forward with a new chair.
7. Mr X has since been informed that whilst agencies accepted the other recommendations, the conference could not be brought forward due to an ongoing police investigation.
8. I will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. There is no evidence to suggest the child protection procedures complaints process was not followed. The Council provided Mr X with a thorough investigation and response and fully explained to him why the next conference could not be brought forward.
9. Mr X complains about the recent actions of the Council, saying that his family’s safety plan has been changed. This did not form part of Mr X’s complaint and therefore is premature. Mr X will first need to raise this with the Council before we will consider the matter.

Back to top

Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.

Back to top

Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman