Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council's involvement with Miss X when she was a young person. The complaint is late and there is no good reason for us to investigate it now.

The complaint

1. Miss X complains the Council did not recognise her as a care leaver or provide appropriate support when she left its care. Miss X seeks an apology and compensation.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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

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. Miss X complains about events that occurred a couple of decades ago. This is significantly outside the normal 12-month period for bringing a complaint to the Ombudsman.
6. We have considered whether there is a good reason to exercise our discretion to investigate this late complaint. We do not consider there is. Miss X was aware of the matters at the time. I have seen no evidence to explain why these concerns could not have been raised much sooner.
7. The Council decided not to consider the complaint under the statutory children's complaints procedure. It said the complaint concerned events that occurred a couple of decades ago. It also said Miss X had previously contacted the Council but had not raised these concerns. The Council also explained it no longer holds records relating to the period complained about. It said it could not carry out a sound investigation in those circumstances.
8. We have seen no evidence the Council was at fault in reaching that decision. A significant amount of time has passed since the events complained about. The Council no longer holds records from the relevant period. In these circumstances, it is unlikely that either the Council or the Ombudsman could reach reliable findings about the matters complained of.
9. We will not investigate this complaint. The complaint is late and there is no good reason for us to exercise discretion to investigate it now.

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Final decision

10. We will not investigate because the complaint is late and there is no good reason to consider it now.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman