Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s actions relating to a child. This is because the matters are being considered by a court and the law does not allow us to investigate.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains about the reports the Council completed relating to her child. She says the reports were not based on objective information and were misleading. Miss X says this means the evidence she has provided will not be fairly presented to the district judge who is presiding over her child’s court proceedings.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We cannot investigate a complaint about the start of court action or what happened in court. (Local Government Act 1974, Schedule 5/5A, paragraph 1/3, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by the complainant and I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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Final decision

4. We cannot investigate Miss X’s complaint because the matters she complains about are already being considered by a court and the law does not allow us to investigate these types of complaints.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman