Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about a delay in reimbursing the cost of a holiday for a looked after child. We are unlikely to achieve more than the financial payment already paid.

The complaint

1. Miss X says the Council delayed in reimbursing a holiday cost for a looked after child.

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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:

• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation; or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome; or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation. (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 Miss X and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. The Council looked after Miss X’s relation Y. Miss X offered to take Y on holiday in the Autumn of 2024. Miss X says the home managers where Y lived agreed and said costs would be covered. Miss X accepts she had no promise in writing from the Council that it would pay the holiday costs.
6. Miss X took Y on holiday and on their return, she asked the Council to reimburse the holiday costs. The Council agreed to do so in September 2025. Miss X says the delay was deplorable.

Analysis

7. Given there was no written agreement to pay for the holiday it is unlikely our investigation would add to the Council’s financial offer already paid.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because our investigation is unlikely to add to the Council’s financial offer already paid.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman