Summary: We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint about the Council’s involvement in her grandchildren’s care. This is because the complaint does not meet the tests in our Assessment Code on how we decide which complaints to investigate. We have no remit to look at matters linked to court proceedings.

The complaint

1. In summary, Mrs X complains about decisions taken in court concerning her grandchildren and the Council’s involvement in those proceedings.
2. Mrs X says she has been left traumatised by the failure of the Council to keep her family together.

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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 information provided by the complainant and the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

6. We cannot investigate any matters linked to court proceedings.

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Final decision

7. We cannot investigate Mrs X’s complaint because we cannot investigate matters related to court action.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman