Summary: We will not investigate Mrs X complaint about safeguarding of children in a school. Her complaint is late and we have seen no good reason why she could not have come to us sooner.

The complaint

1. Mrs X complains the Council failed to safeguard children at a school following an injury to her son in 2023. She said she has experienced distress and anxiety for over two and a half years.
2. She would like the Council to investigate all safeguarding failures at the school.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

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)

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How I considered this complaint

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

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My assessment

6. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because it is late. We have seen no good reason why she could not have come to us sooner.
7. Mrs X complains of safeguarding failures following an injury to her son in 2023. She complained to us in 2025.

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Final decision

8. We will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint because it is late and we have seen no good reason why she could not have come to us sooner.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman