Summary: Miss X complains the Council lied about her in court reports and to the court and adoption panel. The Ombudsman cannot investigate this complaint. We cannot investigate what happens in court, which includes reports the Council prepares for and presents to court, as well as issues indivisibly linked to the court proceedings.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I will call Miss X, says a social worker lied in assessments and reports prepared for the courts. She says the Council refused to do anything about this when presented with evidence.
2. Miss X also confirms the lies were presented to the courts and an adoption panel. And she has reported this to the Police.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
4. We cannot investigate a complaint about the start of court action or what happened in court. (Local Government Act 1974, Schedule 5/5A, paragraph 1/3, as amended)

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How I considered this complaint

5. I considered the information provided by Miss X in her complaint form.

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What I found

6. Miss X says Council officers lied to the court and in court reports.
7. The law says we cannot investigate what happens in court. This includes reports prepared by councils as part of court proceedings. Nor can the Ombudsman involve himself in matters already reported to the Police.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman