London Borough of Hounslow (25 025 156)
Category : Children's care services > Disabled children
Decision : Closed after initial enquiries
Decision date : 07 Sep 2026
The Ombudsman's final decision:
Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about her request for a sensory room at home because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.
The complaint
- Ms X complains the Council’s Occupational Therapists did not support her request for a sensory room at home for her daughter.
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 must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide there is not enough evidence of fault to justify investigating. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended)
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 Ms X said, although I have not included every detail here. I have included as few details as possible to protect the anonymity of Ms X and her daughter.
- Ms X’s daughter is disabled. Ms X complains the Council’s Occupational Therapists did not support her request for a sensory room at home to provide space for her daughter to de-escalate.
- The Occupational Therapists assessed Ms X’s daughter and decided she did not need a separate sensory room at home. The Council noted Ms X’s daughter has her own bedroom and personal space.
- Ms X disagrees. She says her daughter “masks” her needs when observed.
- We do not decide whether the Council should pay for a sensory room for Ms X’s daughter. Our job is to check the Council made its decision properly.
- There is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.
Final decision
- We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because there is not enough evidence of fault to justify an investigation.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman