Summary: We upheld Miss X’s complaint about delays in the statutory complaint procedure. The Council agreed to resolve the complaint by completing stage two of the children’s statutory complaint process and considering an appropriate remedy for any delay in complaint handling issues identified.

The complaint

1. Miss X complained the Council failed to:
• consider relevant evidence;
• respond to safeguarding concerns;
• keep her informed of decisions regarding her children;
• keep her informed of matters affecting her parental responsibility; and
• respond to her complaint within a reasonable timeframe.
2. Miss X said these issues caused emotional distress and uncertainty. She wanted the Council to:
• investigate her complaint in accordance with the statutory complaint process;
• provide clear responses to the concerns she raised; and
• review its complaint handling process.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

3. 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)
4. 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

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

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My assessment

7. The statutory children’s complaints procedure was set up to provide children, young people and those involved in their welfare with access to an independent, thorough and prompt response to their concerns. Because of this, we expect people to complete the complaints procedure before we will consider whether there were any flaws in how the Council investigated their concerns.
8. The Council completed Stage One of Miss X’s complaint. Miss X first requested an escalation to Stage Two of the complaint process in January 2026 and has since then made revisions to her statement of complaint. The Council has instructed an Investigating Officer, but it remains unfinished. If we investigated this complaint, we would likely find fault because the Council has exceeded the statutory timescales to issue its stage two complaint response.

Agreed action

9. The Council has agreed to within 65 working days:
• complete stage two of the children’s statutory complaints process; and
• as part of the stage two statutory process, consider whether there have been any delays and, if there have, provide Miss X with a remedy in line with the Ombudsman’s Guidance on Remedies.

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Final decision

10. We upheld this complaint. The Council agreed to resolve the complaint by completing stage two of the children’s statutory complaints process and considering an appropriate remedy for any issues identified.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman