Summary: We will not investigate X’s complaint about how the Council cared for X when X was a child in care during the 1980s. This is because the complaint is late.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I shall refer to as X complains about the care they received as a child between 1983 and 1989. X says this has left them disadvantaged and has impacted on their health, education and employment.

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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 and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. X complained to the Council in 2024 about the care they received while in a children’s home. The Council said it could not investigate the complaint as there was no realistic prospect of reaching a sound decision due to how much time had passed.
7. X complained to the Local Government Ombudsman in 2025. X was aware of the matters complained about for many years. The complaint is late, and there is no good reason X could not have complained sooner, therefore we will not investigate this complaint.

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Final decision

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

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman