Telford & Wrekin Council (25 015 037)
Category : Children's care services > Child protection
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 21 Apr 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Mr F’s complaint about contact with his child because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation, and nothing we could add to the Council’s response.
The complaint
- Mr F complains the Council is allowing his daughter’s mother to prevent him seeing their child. He says he suspects the Council is manipulating her.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- 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,
- we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
- further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mr F and Ms M have a child, C.
- Mr F went to visit Ms M and C in July 2025. Ms M called the Police. Mr F left without seeing C. The relationship between Mr F and Ms M appears to have broken down.
- Mr F blames the Council. He believes the Council encouraged Ms M to call the Police.
- The Council said it had no involvement, but if Ms M felt threatened, she should call the Police. The Council said contact between Mr F and C was a private matter between Mr F and Ms M. It had no views on the matter.
- There is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation by us. There is nothing we could add to the Council’s response. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr F’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation, and nothing we could add to the Council’s response.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman