Summary: We have upheld Mr X’s complaint because the Council delayed considering this at stage one of the children’s statutory complaints process. The Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused to Mr X.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about the rude and unhelpful conduct of a Council social worker affecting his relationship with his children. He also complains the Council has delayed considering this through the children’s statutory complaints process.

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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. Under our information sharing agreement, we will share this decision with the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted).

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. We expect councils to complete the children’s statutory complaints process before we will consider a complaint.
7. If we investigated this complaint it is likely we would find the Council at fault because it has delayed completing stage one of the children’s statutory complaints process, causing distress. We will not consider the substantive complaint while this process remains outstanding.
8. We therefore asked the Council to consider remedying the injustice caused by taking the following actions within one month of this decision:
• Complete stage 1 of the statutory process without further delay and,
• Pay Mr X £200 for distress arising from delay.

Agreed action

9. To its credit the Council agreed to resolve the complaint early. It explained it had since issued a stage 1 corporate complaint response on 18 February 2026 but it would reallocate this to the statutory process and inform Mr X of his right to go to stage 2. It would also make the payment for distress.

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Final decision

10. We have upheld this complaint because the Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused to Mr X.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman