Buckinghamshire Council (25 031 550)
Category : Children's care services > Child protection
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 16 Sep 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint the Council refused to correct assessments and records held by Children’s Services because the Information Commissioner’s Office is better placed to advise on these matters.
The complaint
- Mr X complains the Council refused to correct assessments and records held by Children’s Services.
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 we must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide there is another body better placed to consider the complaint. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6))
How I considered this complaint
- I considered information provided by the complainant.
- I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
- I have carefully considered everything Mr X said, although I have not included every detail here. I have included as few details as possible to protect the anonymity of Mr X and his family.
- Mr X asked the Council to correct information in assessments and records held by Children’s Services. The Council refused because the information was provided by another agency. The Council also said it would not change information that was the professional opinion of officers.
- Unhappy with the Council’s response, Mr X complained to us.
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint. The Information Commissioner’s Office is better placed to advise on complaints about the accuracy of records. There is advice on the Information Commissioner’s website about the “right to rectification” which Mr X might find helpful.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because the Information Commissioner’s Office is better placed to advise on the matters he complained about.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman