Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about a delay assessing her child’s needs. The Council has now started its assessment, so it is unlikely an investigation would lead to a different outcome.

The complaint

1. Ms X complains the Council has delayed completing an assessment of her child’s needs as it agreed, following investigation of her complaint under the children’s statutory complaints procedure. She says this ongoing delay has caused distress and means her child continues to miss out on support.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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 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

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

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My assessment

5. In August 2025, following an investigation under the statutory children’s complaints procedure, the Council agreed to complete an assessment of Ms X’s child’s needs to determine if they were eligible for support.
6. Ms X brought her complaint to us at the end of September 2025. She said the Council had still not started the assessment and the ongoing delay was causing distress.
7. In response to our enquiries, the Council has confirmed it has now started its assessment and aims to complete this process within 35 days.
8. We will not investigate this complaint. Although I accept the delay starting the assessment is likely to have caused Ms X some distress, the Council has confirmed it has now begun the assessment process. It is unlikely an investigation by us would lead to a significantly different outcome.

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Final decision

9. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because it is unlikely an investigation would lead to a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman