How do I complain about Children's and Adult's Social Care

The law sets out procedures to deal with complaints about social services.

It is a three-stage procedure:

The Local Problem Solving Stage (Stage 1)

You can complain to any member of staff or to the Children and Young People or Adults Complaints Teams. 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 2 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 Social Services. The Director will consider the panel's recommendations and give you a full reply within 15 working days.

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