Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s child protection safeguarding enquiries and actions relating to her family because there is insufficient evidence of fault.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains about the Council’s children’s services involvement regarding her family. Mrs X said a child protection investigation was flawed following an allegation of harm by one of her children.
2. Mrs X said the matter caused her distress, frustration and uncertainty.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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))

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. We will not investigate this complaint. Mrs X’s complaint centres around the process the Council followed as part of a section 47 safeguarding enquiry following an allegation of harm made by one of her children.
7. Based on the information seen the Council conducted sufficient enquiries as part of its strategy discussion. It attempted to visit Mrs X on the same day of the referral, but Mrs X said that would not suit the children’s needs. The Council organised a safety plan by phone and visited the next working day. It later consulted relevant educational agencies as part of its section 47 enquiries.
8. The Council agreed to third parties supervising contact between the children and the alleged perpetrator. Although Mrs X was dissatisfied with the outcome of this decision the Council explained its reasons and how it adapted its approach over time to suit the children’s needs and the evolving circumstances as more information became available.
9. There is insufficient evidence of fault in the Council’s actions to warrant an investigation, and so we will not investigate.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because there is insufficient evidence of fault.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman