Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about a delay at stage two of the children’s statutory complaints process. This is because the Council apologised for the delay and has now completed the second stage of the process. An investigation by the Ombudsman is unlikely to achieve anything further.

The complaint

1. Ms X complained the Council delayed completing stage two of the children’s statutory complaints process.
2. Ms X said the matter caused her uncertainty and frustration.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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 provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide:

• we could not add to any previous investigation by the organisation, or
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome, or
• there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.

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

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

Background

6. Ms X complained to the Council. The matters complained about fell under the purview of the children’s statutory complaints process.
7. Ms X said she asked the Council to escalate her complaint to stage two of the process in mid-April 2025.
8. To comply with the statutory timescales, the Council should have completed the second stage of the process no later than 65 working days later, by early July 2025.
9. The Council did not complete the second stage until mid-August 2025.
10. The Council wrote to Ms X and apologised for the delay.

Analysis

11. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint. The Council has already written to Ms X and apologised for the delay. During our consideration of the complaint the Council also completed the second stage of the statutory complaints process.
12. An investigation by the Ombudsman is unlikely to achieve anything further. Consequently, we will not investigate this complaint.

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Final decision

13. We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint because an investigation is unlikely to achieve any additional outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman