Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s involvement with Mr X and his family and a Council social worker’s conduct. This is because further investigation would be unlikely to result in a different outcome for him.

The complaint

1. Mr X complained a Council social worker has lied to him. He also complained the Council considers him a risk to his children but will not explain why.

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

• any 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 Mr X and the Council.
4. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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My assessment

5. Mr X complained that a Council social worker lied to him multiple times. He said that when he provided evidence of this to the Council it did not address the problem. He further complained the Council considers him a risk to his children but will not explain why.
6. The Council explained that it was limited in what it could tell him because he does not hold parental responsibility for his children. The Council explained the social worker’s actions and did not uphold his complaint regarding the social worker being dishonest. The Council told Mr X to make a subject access request if he wished to know what records are held about him.
7. Mr X wants us to find the Council at fault. The evidence shows the Council has investigated Mr X’s complaint points and explained its actions and the actions of its social worker. The Council has also spoken with Mr X directly about this matter and advised him in the manner we would expect. The Ombudsman will not investigate matters where it is unable to make a significant difference. The evidence shows the Council’s investigation was thorough. Further investigation would be unlikely to result in a different outcome for Mr X.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because further investigation would be unlikely to result in a different outcome.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman