Children's Social Care complaints procedure

How to complain

We suggest you complain using our online feedback form, or by contacting our Feedback and Information Governance Team, but there is no special way to complain about our Children's Social Care services.

What we will do with your complaint

The law says what we should do with complaints about Children's Social Care. There is a three-stage procedure:

The Local Problem Solving Stage (Stage 1)

When we receive your complaint, we will try to sort out the problem straight away. If we can't, we will:

• write to you within two working days to let you know the name and phone number of the person who will deal with your complaint
• reply in writing to you within 10 working days

If we need more time to investigate your complaint, we will let you know and give you a time limit for our response.

The Formal Stage (Stage 2)

We will:

• write to you within 5 working days to let you know the name and phone number of the person who will deal with your complaint
• we will arrange for an Independent Person to be involved for a complaint made under the Children Act 1989
• we will arrange for you to meet with the officer investigating your complaint
• reply in writing to you within 25 working days

If we need more time to investigate your complaint, we will let you know and give you a time limit for our response.

The Review Panel (Stage 3)

If you are unhappy with the stage 2 reply, you can ask for an independent review panel to hear your complaint. You should request a panel hearing within 20 working days of our reply to your stage 2 complaint.

The Panel should meet within 30 working days once your request has been received.

The Review Panel will examine the evidence and recommend what action should be taken to the Director of Children and Young People's Services. The Director will consider the panel's recommendations and give you a full reply within 15 working days.