Summary: We will not investigate X’s complaint about the Council’s child protection investigation. This is because it is made late and I see no good reason to exercise discretion and consider it now.

The complaint

1. X complains about the Council’s child protection investigation after it received a safeguarding concern in early 2025.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. 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)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. The Council received a safeguarding concern in early 2025. It carried out a child protection investigation which led to child protection planning being agreed in March 2025.
7. I will not investigate X’s complaint because it is made late. The issues raised happened more than 12 months ago and I see no good reason why X could not have complained to us sooner.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate X’s complaint because it is made late.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman