Local Government Ombudsman, 2013
Mr Y, who is in his 20s, does not communicate verbally and has a significant learning disability and a diagnosis of autism. He displays challenging and sometimes unpredictable behaviour. In November 2008 he sustained a serious injury while living in a Council-funded residential home. There was a Police investigation. However, there was a lack of forensic and other evidence, and the written report the police provided to the Council reached no conclusion as to how the injury was caused.
In 2011 his mother, Mrs H, obtained copies of the Council’s safeguarding documentation and became concerned that the Council may not have fulfilled its safeguarding obligations. She was concerned about the lack of medical intervention sought when the Home staff discovered Mr Y’s injury and was not satisfied that the Council had taken appropriate steps following the injury and subsequent Police investigation. She felt the incident had been covered up by the Council and the Home, thus the complaint to the Ombudsman.
