We are committed to listening to the views of our customers to improve the services we provide. Raising concerns or queries or making a complaint will not affect the way you are treated.
Who can complain
- Any child ‘in need’ and / or ‘looked after’ by the local authority
- Their parent, or anyone with parental responsibility for such a child
- A foster carer (whether approved by this authority or another or via an independent fostering agency)
- A child leaving care
- A Special Guardian or child (or their parent) who is subject to such an order
- Any person applying for a Special Guardian support service or to adopt a child
- Any child who may be adopted or their parent or guardian
- Any person covered by adoption services
- People previously adopted, their parents, natural parents or former guardians
- Anyone the local authority accepts has a sufficient interest in a child’s welfare
Make a complaint
Please complete our online form if you wish to make a complaint. You should do this within 12 months of an incident occurring or the date when you became aware of it.
The complaints process
Once we have received your complaint, we will review whether we can consider it under our complaints process. We will let you know this within three working days.
If the investigation is likely to take longer than originally agreed, we will contact you again and agree an alternative timescale with you.
If your complaint is about the social care element of an Education, Health and Care Plan, you can find lots of useful information about dispute resolution and mediation on the Local Offer.
It may be necessary to share your details with other organisations who are involved in your complaint. We will discuss this with you.
Stage One - Local Resolution - The best chance to put things right
- Advocacy considered, offered and provided if required / requested
- 10 working days timescale for formal response - additional 10 days if the complaint is complex or if there is an unavoidable delay
- Investigated by the Children’s Social Care Team Manager or Service Manager
Stage Two - Independent Investigation
- Complaints Manager commissions an Investigating Officer and Independent Person
- The timescale for the investigation is 25 to 65 working days
- The response is then Adjudicated by a Senior Manager within Children's Social Care
Stage Three - Complaints Review Panel
- Complaints Manager commissions an Independent Chair and two Independent Panel Members
- Director responds to the complaint
