Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council (25 023 359)
Category : Children's care services > Child protection
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 06 Jul 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s involvement with Mr X and his family nor its failure to make reasonable adjustments for his disability. This is because the complaint is late; it would have been reasonable for Mr X to bring the complaint to us at the time.
The complaint
- Mr X complained about the Council’s involvement with his family and its failure to make reasonable adjustments for his disability.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
- The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
- We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by Mr X and the Council.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- Mr X complained about the Council’s involvement with his family when it initiated safeguarding proceedings in 2023. He also complained the Council failed to make reasonable adjustments for his disability.
- He complained and the Council agreed it did not make adjustments for Mr X. The Council said it would brief its staff to ensure this did not happen again. The Council ceased the safeguarding proceedings in 2024.
- The Ombudsman will not exercise discretion to investigate complaints concerning events that took place more than 12 months prior to the complainant contacting us unless there are good reasons to do so. Mr X has been aware of the events complained about for several years. It would have been reasonable for him to approach us sooner. There is no good reason to investigate.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the complaint is late; it would have been reasonable for him to complain to us at the time.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman