Summary: We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about a domestic abuse incident because it was made late. For the 2025 issues, further investigation is unlikely to change the outcome. The Information Commissioner’s Office ICO is better placed to consider his data concerns.

The complaint

1. Mr X complains about two issues: that in 2022 the Council was dismissive when he reported domestic abuse, and that in 2025 its assessment and communication were poor. He also says the Council mishandled his personal data.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. The Local Government Act 1974 sets out our powers but also imposes restrictions on what we can investigate.
3. We cannot investigate late complaints unless we decide there are good reasons. Late complaints are when someone takes more than 12 months to complain to us about something a council has done. (Local Government Act 1974, sections 26B and 34D, as amended)
4. 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
• further investigation would not lead to a different outcome (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))

5. We normally expect someone to refer the matter to the Information Commissioner if they have a complaint about data protection. However, we may decide to investigate if we think there are good reasons. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended).

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

8. Mr X said the practitioner laughed at him when he disclosed a sexual assault in 2022.
9. This part of the complaint is late, as the concerns relate to events more than 12 months old, and I see no good reason why he could not have complained to us sooner. The restriction in paragraph three therefore applies.
10. Mr X complains that the Council’s 2025 assessment was inaccurate, that communication with him was poor, meetings were handled unfairly, and that the council did not properly support contact or consider risks linked to the mother’s partner.
11. The Council says it will not change the assessment, that communication has been reasonable, and that separate meetings are appropriate. It explains that risk has been assessed with no current concerns identified, and that contact arrangements remain a private matter for the parents.
12. I will not investigate this complaint because we would be unlikely to add to the investigation carried out by the Council or achieve a different outcome.
13. I will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council has committed a data breach. The Information Commissioner’s Office is better placed to consider concerns about data protection.

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Final decision

14. We will not investigate Mr X’s complaint because it was made late and there is no good reason to consider it now. For the issues raised in 2025, we would be unlikely to achieve a different outcome. The ICO is better placed to consider his complaint about possible data breaches.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman