Children's Social Care Services - Compliments, Comments and Complaints Procedure

If you don't feel your complaint has been sorted out after Stage 1 you can ask for it to be looked into by an Investigating Officer. If your complaint is very serious it may go straight to Stage Two.

What this means

An Investigating Officer will come and see you and talk about your complaint. Sometimes an Independent Person will accompany the Investigating Officer but neither the Investigating Officer nor the Independent Person is part of Social Services. The Investigating Officer will talk to you first and then anyone else involved.

This will take some time but should be done within 25 days but it may take up to 65 days for more complex complaints. The Investigating Officer will write a report about your complaint, which will be given to a senior manager in Children's Services.

Someone will come and see you and talk to you about your complaint. You will be able to say what you think.

We will look into your complaint as quickly and fairly as possible.

You will be sent a copy of the report, together with a letter from a senior manager in Children's Services. These can be sent to the person who has helped you to make your complaint and they will explain it to you.

The letter will tell you what has been decided and what Children's Social Care Services are going to do about your complaint.

If you are still unhappy with the way your complaint has been dealt with you can ask for a Review Panel to look at it.

YOU MUST ASK FOR THIS WITHIN 20 DAYS.

You can ask for a Review Panel to look at the the way your complaint has been dealt with.