How Adults can make a complaint or a compliment
about Children's Services
Compliment
Most of the time, if you want to say thank you
or well done you can do this face to face. Sometimes you might want
other people to know that someone has done a good job.
You can contact us in any of the ways
shown, and
we will pass on your good wishes. We will also write back to let
you know what we have done.
Complaint
If you have a complaint about Children's Social Services we will
use this procedure to deal with it.
A Children and Young People
version of the complaints procedure is also available.
Stage 1 - Informal
Tell the person from Northumberland Children's
Services with whom you have most contact about your complaint. If
you would prefer not to discuss your complaint with that person,
then ask how you can get in touch with the Children’s Complaints Officer
Whoever you speak to will listen to what you
have to say, and do all they can to help you. We want to work with
you to find a solution to the problem. You will get a written
record of what is agreed. This will normally be completed within 10
working days. If the complaint is complicated this may take a bit
longer but we will agree this with you in advance.
Stage 2 - Formal
If you are not satisfied with the response you
receive, then you can ask for an investigation by phoning or
writing to the Children’s Complaints Officer
A senior officer or an Independent
Investigator will then make an enquiry on your behalf. The
Complaints Officer will discuss this with you. We will aim to send
you a written reply within 25 working days. If we can't reply
within that time, then we will tell you why, and let you know when
you can expect a reply. This will be within 65 working days.
Stage 3 - Review
Panel
If, after receiving the reply, you are still
unhappy, then you can ask for your complaint to be reviewed by a
panel of independent people who have not previously been involved
in the complaint. Just contact the Children's Complaints Officer within 20
working days of the reply.
The panel will consider whether or not
reasonable efforts have been made to resolve your complaint and
what, if anything could still be done.
Stage 4 - LGO
If, after going through stages 1-3 you are
still not satisfied with the Council's response, you can take your
complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman.
Local Government Ombudsman
Beverley House
17 Shipton Road
York
YO30 5FZ
Tel: 01904 663200
Fax: 01904 663269
The Ombudsman can give you advice and help
with your complaint
Or you could contact Ofsted:
Ofsted
By telephone
0300 123 1231
By email
enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk
By online form
You can send question or comments via the Contact
form.
They will be able to give you information and
advice.
By post
Piccadilly Gate, Store Street,
Manchester
M1 2WD
You can contact the Complaints Officer
by writing to:
Children's Complaints Officer
Children’s Services
Freepost NEA15580
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 1BR
e-mail: client.relations@northumberland.gov.uk
phone:
01670 623978 freephone: 0800
373615 Text: 07766 631 901
or fill in an online complaints form
► Download the
Children's Services Complaints and
Compliments Procedure
How Children and Young People can make complaint or
compliment about Children's Services
Compliments
Most of the time, if you want to say thank you
or well done you can do this face to face. If you live in a
Children's Home you might have a book where you can write this
down.
Sometimes you might want other people to know
that someone has done a good job.
You can contact us in any of the ways
shown, and
we will pass on your good wishes. We will also write back to let
you know what we have done.
Complaints
First of all we will try to sort out any
problems and deal with concerns as quickly as possible. Most will
be sorted out by your carer, link worker or social worker. If
they can't do this, or if you want someone else to deal with it we
will follow these stages.
Stage 1
We will ask a manager to look into the
complaint and talk to you about it. We will try to agree a way to
sort it out. We will write you a letter saying what we have agreed
to do.
If you are not happy with what has been done
to sort the complaint out, you or your advocate can ask for it to
go to Stage 2.
Stage 2
At Stage 2 we ask people who do not work for
Children's Services to help us sort out the complaint. These people
are called "Independent". We will ask them to investigate the
complaint.
A senior manager will send you a copy of the
report with a letter telling you what Children's Services are going
to do. If you want, we will meet with you and your advocate to
explain this in more detail.
Stage 3
If you think that:
- the report or letter at Stage 2 was wrong or
had bits missing,
- the complaints procedure has not been
followed, or
- Children's Services has not tried its best to
sort out the complaint,
you or your advocate can ask for the complaint
to go to Stage 3.
3 independent people who have not dealt with
the complaint before will meet with you, the independent people who
did the Stage 2 investigation and someone from Children's Services.
They will ask questions to find out what we have done to sort your
problem out.
After the meeting the panel will write a
report to say what they think Children's Services needs to do to
sort out the complaint.
Stage 4
If things are still not sorted, or you are
still unhappy, you can write to the
Local Government Ombudsman
Beverley House
17 Shipton Road
York
YO30 5FZ
Tel: 01904 663200
Fax: 01904 663269
The Ombudsman can give you advice and help
with your complaint
or
Ofsted
Royal Exchange Buildings, St Ann's Square,
Manchester, M2 7LA
Telephone: 0300 123 1231
Ofsted will be able to give you information
and advice
You can contact the Complaints Officer
by writing to:
Children's Complaints Officer
Children’s Services
Freepost NEA15580
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 1BR
e-mail: Client.Relations@northumberland.gov.uk
phone:
01670 623978 freephone: 0800
373615 Text: 07766 631 901
or fill in an online complaints form
► Download the
Children's Services Complaints and
Compliments Procedure
Useful websites:
Voices
Making Choices
Rights 4 Me
