Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s involvement with care arrangements of a child. This is because these matters have been, or could reasonably be, mentioned in court proceedings.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about the actions of the Council’s children’s services in relation to its involvement with the care arrangements of Mr X’s child.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We have the power to start or end an investigation into a complaint about actions the law allows us to investigate. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we think the issues could reasonably be, or have been, mentioned as part of the legal proceedings regarding a closely related matter. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 24A(6) and 34B(8), 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.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The issue at the centre of Mr X’s complaint is the Council’s involvement in the care arrangements of his child. There have been court proceedings to determine these matters and therefore these issues have either been raised or could reasonably be raised by Mr X as part of these proceedings.

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Final decision

6. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because these matters have been, or could reasonably be, mentioned in court proceedings.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman