London Borough of Hounslow (24 022 005)

Category : Children's care services > Child protection

Decision : Closed after initial enquiries

Decision date : 20 May 2025

The Ombudsman's final decision:

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a child safeguarding referral made by a body delivering services on behalf of the Council. The referral related to disputed versions of what Miss X was alleged to have said in a meeting with the body that made the referral. An investigation by us would be unlikely to reach any clear view.

The complaint

  1. Miss X said a body delivering services on behalf of the Council made an unnecessary child safeguarding referral to the Council. She also said a member of its staff made a distressing comment about her ethnicity.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

  1. We investigate complaints about councils and certain other bodies. Where an individual, organisation or private company is providing services on behalf of a council, we can investigate complaints about the actions of these providers. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 24A(1)(A) and 25(7), as amended).

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How I considered this complaint

  1. I considered information provided by the complainant.
  2. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

  1. The organisation providing services on behalf of the Council claimed in its response to Miss X that she had disclosed a matter concerning her son and his child in a meeting. It made the child safeguarding referral on that basis. Miss X said she had said something different.
  2. Miss X also said an officer of the organisation had made a comment about her ethnicity, causing distress. The organisation stated Miss X had invited the officer to guess her ethnicity.
  3. Both alleged matters relate to what was said, rather than what was communicated in writing. It is unlikely that investigation by us would establish which versions of the two incidents are correct.

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Final decision

  1. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because it is unlikely this would lead to any worthwhile outcome, as we would be unlikely to establish exact nature of what was said .

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman

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