Shropshire Council bosses cleared after social worker claimed it used report on school pupil without her permission

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said the council has no case to answer after the woman, known only as Mrs X filed a formal complaint.

She said the report she carried out was used inappropriately, but the Ombudsman found no fault.

A spokesman for the Ombudsman said: “The complainant, whom I shall call Mrs X, complains the council inappropriately used a professional report she produced for a primary school.

“The report was about one of the school’s students. I considered Mrs X’s complaint and the information she provided. I also gave Mrs X the opportunity to comment on a draft statement before reaching a final decision on her complaint.

“Mrs X says the council did not have her permission to use a report she produced for a primary school about one of its pupils.

“She is worried there could be damage to her professional reputation. The council has accepted it should have approached Mrs X for her permission to use the report.

“She says the council should reimburse the primary school which paid for the report.”

The committee concluded that an investigation was not appropriate.

“Mrs X wants the council to make sure there are no other instances of it using such reports without the author’s permission.”

It added: “It is clear Mrs X feels strongly about the issue at the heart of her complaint.

“But the council has accepted it should have approached her before it used the report.

“It is therefore difficult to see what more an investigation by the ombudsman could achieve.

“Mrs X is concerned there could be damage to her professional reputation.

“But the Ombudsman does not consider complaints about what might happen – we do not investigate speculative injustice.

“Mrs X says the council should reimburse the school for the cost of the report.

“But because Mrs X does not have permission to complain on behalf of the school, this is not something we can consider.

“An investigation into Mrs X’s complaint is not therefore appropriate.”