Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about a children services report prepared for Court proceedings. We cannot investigate reports which form part of Court proceedings.

The complaint

1. The complainant, whom I shall call Miss X, complains about the preparation and content of a children services’ court report.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. 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

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. Miss X says the Council’s children services’ team produced an inaccurate report for court proceedings, called a section seven report. She says the officer who authored the report did not spend enough time with her, and did not meet one of the children. She says the report has damaged her.
6. We cannot investigate the preparation, collation, and analysis of evidence, including reports written by social workers or other officers, for court proceedings. The Court orders section seven reports. They are part of court proceedings.

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Final decision

7. We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because we cannot investigate reports which are part of court proceedings.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman