Summary: We will not investigate Mrs M’s complaint about a social care assessment for her daughter, G, because we could not add to the Council’s response, and further investigation would not lead to a different outcome. There is insufficient outstanding injustice to justify our involvement.

The complaint

1. Mrs M complains about her dealings with the Council in connection with her request for a social care assessment for her daughter, G.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide:

• any outstanding injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement, or
• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

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How I considered this complaint

3. I considered information provided by Mrs M and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mrs M asked the Council to carry out a social care assessment for her daughter, G, on 1 December 2023. An officer said it would “not be beneficial”. Mrs M complained. The Council began an assessment on 14 December 2023 and completed the assessment on 1 February 2024.
6. Mrs M requested a copy of the assessment in February, March and April 2024. Having finally received a copy, Mrs M complained about the assessment on 3 May 2024.
7. The Council accepted her complaint at stage one of the statutory children’s complaints process. An independent investigation at stage two upheld Mrs M’s complaint the Council failed to consult relevant people when writing the report and delayed sending her a copy. In its adjudication, the Council apologised, offered a payment of £200 and agreed to Mrs M’s request that the Council should complete a new assessment.
8. On 13 March 2025, Mrs M asked the Council to respond at the third stage of the complaints process because she had heard nothing since the stage two adjudication despite chasing on 25 February 2025. Having received no response from the Council, Mrs M complained to us on 31 March 2025.
9. Mrs M would like us to consider the additional stress of chasing the Council, and the possible impact on G of the delay in the assessment.
10. When the complaint was allocated to me, I contacted the Council to ask for an update. The Council confirmed it had completed the re-assessment and sent me a copy. It also confirmed it had made the payment of £200 it offered.
11. The assessment resulted in a referral to another agency for mentoring support for G, but no ongoing services from the Council. It is a detailed assessment which recognises G’s needs, but also the support she receives from her family. The assessment says Mrs M was happy with the outcome.
12. I do not underestimate what a stressful process this has been for Mrs M (and her family). It has taken much longer than it should to get to this point. However, taking account of all the information I have, I do not consider there is sufficient outstanding injustice to justify our further involvement. We could not add to the Council’s response, and further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.

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Final decision

13. We will not investigate Mrs M’s complaint because we could not add to the Council’s response, and further investigation would not lead to a different outcome. There is insufficient outstanding injustice to justify our involvement.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman