What can I complain about?

If you are not happy with the care or support you receive from children’s services, you have the right to make a complaint. A complaint might be about:

• A decision that has been made about you
• The actions or behaviour of your social worker
• Delays in assessing you or providing support
• The level of contact you have with your family
• Any other matter relating to your care

Who can complain?

Children’s services should have a policy outlining how to make a complaint and how the complaint will be handled. You have a right to make a complaint if:

• You are looked after by the local authority
• You are a child in need
• You are a child leaving care
• You are under a Special Guardianship Order
• You have been adopted

Even if you are not listed above, you may still be able to make a complaint and should contact your local authority. However, it may be the case that it’s dealt with under the local authority’s corporate complaints procedure rather than the Children Act 1989 Complaints Procedure.

When do I have to make the complaint?

Usually, you will need to make a complaint within a year of the event you are complaining about.

How do I make a complaint?

You can make a complaint online, in person, on the phone or by letter.

Can I get help making a complaint?

You have a right to an independent advocate and they will be able to help you make a complaint.

How will a complaint be handled?

There are three stages to the complaint:

• Informal resolution. This stage of the process should not take more than 10 working days.
• Formal investigation. An investigating officer and independent person will investigate the situation. The investigation and response should be completed and sent to you within 25 working days. However, the local authority can extend this time period to a maximum of 65 working days if the matter is particularly complicated.
• Review panel. A panel of three independent people considers the complaint and the investigation. The local authority should acknowledge your request within 2 working days of receiving it. You should be notified of the location and date at least 10 working days before the review panel meets.

What might happen after the complaint?

You may be able to:

• Get children’s services to change their mind and agree with what you want
• Receive money as compensation
• Freeze a decision relating to your care, for example, stop you moving to another foster home

What can I do if I’m not happy with the response to my complaint?

If you’re not happy with how the local authority has treated your formal complaint, then you can go to the Local Government Ombudsman. This is an independent and free service that investigates complaints about councils.