Find out more online:www.worcestershire.gov.uk

Speak up! Speak out!

We want to hear from youCompliments, Comments and Complaints Procedure

Statement from the Director of Children’s Services

“We know that sometimes you don’t agree with all of our actions. If you think we’ve got it wrong, it’s really important to tell us so that we have a chance to look again at the actions we’ve taken. We will listen to your views and make changes where that’s possible. Of course, it’s also good to hear when things go well.”

Catherine Driscoll, Director of Children’s Services

Stage One

Problem Solving

Talk to the people looking after you or to your social worker. You may be able to sort it out.

If there isn’t anyone you can talk to or feel you can trust we can put you in touch with an advocate who will help and support you to make your complaint. Please see the information about advocacy on page 7.

You could also fill in the form at the back of the leaflet and post it. You do not need a stamp. This will go to Consumer Relations Officer (Children’s Social Care Services) who can be contacted on 01905 844096.

Talk to someone about your problem such as your social worker, teacher, friend or Advocate.

If you don’t have anyone to talk to you can ring NYAS or fill in and post the leaflet.

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Stage Two

Investigation

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

What this means

An Investigating Officer will contact you and talk about your complaint. An Independent Person will accompany the Investigating Officer but neither the Investigating Officer nor the Independent Person is part of Children’s Social Care 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 contact you andtalk 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.

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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 SHOULD ASK FOR THIS WITHIN 20 DAYS.

You will receive a response from a senior manager in Children’s Services.

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

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Stage Three

Review Panel

The Review Panel is a meeting of 3 people who don’t work for Children’s Social Care Services. You can go to this meeting if you want to, and the person who helped you to make your complaint can attend as well.

After the meeting the Panel will write to you telling you what they have advised Children’s Social Care Services to do. Children’s Social Care Services will then write to you telling you what they will do about your complaint.

It’s OK to complain. Don’t be scared - we will take your complaint seriously. You can help to put things right.

3 independent people make up the Review Panel. You can attend if you want to.

Don’t be afraid. It’s OK to complain.

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We want to hear from you. We want to hear about the things which are going well, and those you are unhappy with.

You might like to tell us about:

• A decision being made which you don’t agree with.

• How you are cared for.

• Not having contact with people who are important to you.

• Being treated differently because of your race, age, sexuality, gender or disability.

• Not being included in discussions about your life.

• Being treated unfairly by your social worker, carer, etc.

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Advocacy

An advocate is someone who will act on your behalf and help and support

you to make your wishes and views known.

If you would like help in making your complaint, please contact Consumer

Relations Officer (Children’s Social Care Services) who will be able to put

you in touch with an advocate who is independent of the local authority (a

professional advocate). The National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) can

help you in saying the things you need to say.

The contact details are:

Freephone: 0808 808 1001

Email: help@nyas.net

Children and young people sometimes want to choose their own advocate

eg. a teacher, relative, carer, friend (an informal advocate). If this person is

not known to the Children’s Social Care Services Directorate, checks may

have to be carried out to ensure that he/she is an appropriate person to

carry out the role of an advocate.

An informal advocate may know you better whereas a professional

advocate will probably have more of an understanding of the complaints

procedure and the way in which Children’s Social Care Services operate.

If you want any further details please contact Consumer Relations Officer

(Children’s Social Care Services) on 01905 844096.

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Find out more online:www.worcestershire.gov.uk

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You can contact us in the following ways:

Useful Phone Numbers:

Consumer Relations Officer (Children’s Social Care Services)Tel: 01905 844096Email: representations@worcestershire.gov.uk

The National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS)Freephone: 0808 808 1001Email: help@nyas.net

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman may also be able to help you:Advice Line: 0300 061 0614Email: advice@lgo.org.ukTextback: to 0762 481 1595

This document can be made available in other languages and alternative formats (large print, audio tape, computer disk and Braille) on request from the Consumer

Relations Unit on telephone number 01905 844096 or by emailing representations@worcestershire.gov.uk

To the best of our knowledge all information was correct at the time of publication: April 2018

The Complaints form

If you wish to make a complaint,

write your name and address on

the complaints form, remove the

form from the leaflet along the

perforations, then seal it up.

Don’t forget to keep a copy of your

complaint and the date you sent it

off.

You can hand it in to any Social Care

office or home, or you can post it

- the form is already stamped and

addressed.

Consum

er Relations U

nitW

orcestershire County C

ouncilC

ounty Hall

Spetchley Road

Worcester

WR

5 2NP

57361 07/11

RTHC-XXCK-AJGY

ADDTTDFDTTDFTADAFTFFDAFAAAFTADTDTADT

Complaint

Please tick if you are making a:

Comment Compliment Complaint

My name is: ..................................................................................................................................................................

My address is: ..............................................................................................................................................................

Post Code: ................................................................Tel no: .....................................................................................

E-mail: .............................................................................................................................................................................

You can contact me by:

Writing to the above address

Telephoning the above address

Contacting the following address

Phone number or e-mail

Details

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Signed ...................................................................................................................... Date ..........................................(Please use another sheet of paper if you need to)

If you require any further information please contact:Consumer Relations Officer, (Children’s Social Care Services) on 01905 844096

Private and Confidential