Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council handled a safeguarding referral about his child. There is not sufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation, and a further investigation would not achieve a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Mr X made a safeguarding referral to the Council. Mr X complained the Council did not consider all the evidence he presented and came to the wrong decision.
2. Mr X complained the Council did not tell him of the result of the safeguarding referral.

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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, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome. (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 Mr X and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. Mr X made a safeguarding referral to the Council about his child. Mr X complained the Council did not consider all the evidence he presented and came to the wrong decision.
7. Mr X complained the Council did not inform him of the outcome of the safeguarding referral.
8. The Council investigated Mr X’s complaint. The Council apologised for not telling Mr X of the result of the safeguarding referral. The Council reminded the social worker it is their responsibility to update parents of the outcome of screening and made the issue the focus of a team discussion.
9. The Council also provided a detailed response to all of Mr X’s points in its Stage 1 complaint response. The Council considered information from Mr X and spoke to Mr X. The Council considered information from other agencies in line with its policy. The Council’s investigation confirmed it had followed the correct procedures.
10. I will not investigate this complaint because I cannot find sufficient evidence of fault in how the Council considered the original safeguarding referral or how the Council considered Mr X’s complaint. As I cannot find fault in how the Council came to its decision regarding the safeguarding referral, I cannot question the outcome.
11. The Council admitted it was wrong not to tell Mr X of the result of his safeguarding referral. The Council apologised for this error and put appropriate service improvements in place. A further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Final decision

12. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council handled a safeguarding referral about his child. There is not sufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation, and a further investigation would not achieve a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman