Summary: We have discontinued our investigation. This is because the Council is investigating Miss X’s statutory complaint, so there is no worthwhile outcome we can achieve at this stage.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained the Council delayed dealing with her complaint about a social work assessment and how it has managed her child’s case. Miss X said this meant the issues she complained about are ongoing, and it has caused the family distress.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’. In this statement, I have used the word fault to refer to these. We provide a free service but must use public money carefully. We may decide not to start or continue with an investigation if we are satisfied with the actions an organisation has taken or proposes to take. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(7), as amended)
3. It is our decision whether to start, and when to end an investigation into something the law allows us to investigate. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 24A(6) and 34B(8), as amended)
4. We do not start or continue an investigation if we decide 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

5. I considered the information and documents provided by Miss X and the Council. I spoke to Miss X about her complaint. I considered the relevant legislation and statutory guidance, set out below.
6. Miss X and the Council had an opportunity to comment on an earlier draft of this statement. I considered all comments and further information received before I reached a final decision.

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What I found

What should have happened

7. The law sets out a three-stage procedure for councils to follow when looking at complaints about children’s social care services. The accompanying statutory guidance, ‘Getting the Best from Complaints’, explains councils’ responsibilities in more detail. We also published practitioner guidance on the procedures, setting out our expectations.
8. The first stage of the procedure is local resolution, known as ‘stage one’.
9. If a complainant is not happy with a council’s stage one response, they can ask that it is considered at stage two. At this stage of the procedure, councils appoint an investigating officer (IO) to look into the complaint and an independent person (IP) who is responsible for overseeing the investigation and ensuring its independence.
10. If a complainant is unhappy with the outcome of the stage two investigation, they can ask for a stage three review by an independent panel.

What happened

11. In summer 2025, Miss X complained to the Council about a social work assessment and how it managed her child’s case. The Council sent Miss X its stage one complaint response.
12. Miss X asked the Council to consider her complaint at stage two.
13. The Council appointed an investigating officer and an independent person. However, the Council had concerns about the quality of the investigating officer’s work, so the Council removed them from the case.
14. Miss X complained to the Ombudsman.

Analysis

15. The outcome of an Ombudsman investigation at this stage would be for the Council to complete stage two. The Council has now appointed a new investigating officer to investigate Miss X’s complaint. This means the statutory process is underway.
16. For this reason, I do not consider that further investigation would lead to a different outcome. Also, I find there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation at this stage.
17. Miss X can bring her complaint back to the Ombudsman at the end of the statutory process if she remains unhappy with the outcome. We can then remedy any injustice that has been caused during the statutory complaints process.

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Decision

18. I have discontinued my investigation because the Council is investigating Miss X’s statutory complaint.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman