The Ombudsman's final decision
Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about her relationship with the Council when she was a look after child and as a care leaver. Further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
The complaint
Miss X complained about how the Council interacted with her when she was ‘looked after child’ and as a care leaver. She said its relationship with her was inappropriate. She also complained the Council had not followed up recommendations from its investigation. She said the Council’s actions had affected her mental health and wellbeing. She wants an apology and for the Council to take her concerns seriously.
The Ombudsman’s role and powers
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: further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
(Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
How I considered this complaint
I considered information provided by the complainant and the Council.
I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.
My assessment
The Council arranged for an Independent Person to investigate Miss X’s concerns. They found the Council was not always clear with Miss X about its relationship with her and that at times its support of her went ‘above and beyond’. They recognised that this could have been experienced by Miss X as preferential treatment. The Independent Person made recommendations for how the Council could improve its working relationships with children and young people in the future. It also recommended the Council apologise to Miss X.
We will not investigate this complaint. The Independent Person has upheld the complaint and made suitable recommendations. The Council has confirmed it has complied with these recommendations, except for where it considered a recommendation was not appropriate. It has apologised to Miss X. That remedies the injustice caused. Further investigation by the Ombudsman would not lead to a different outcome.
Final decision
We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint because further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman