Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to change a social worker. We could not achieve the outcome Miss X is seeking by investigation.

The complaint

1. Miss X said she wanted a social worker changed because she could not work with her, and the social worker treated her badly and wrote lies about her.

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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:

• we cannot achieve the outcome someone wants, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council and established there had been no court action.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. We have no power to recommend the social worker assigned to Miss X’s child is changed because of a poor relationship between Miss X and the social worker.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because doing so is unlikely to lead to the outcome Miss X is seeking, or to any worthwhile outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman