Children's Services Complaints, Compliments and Comments
We want to provide you with excellent services. However, sometimes things can go wrong.
If you think we have done something wrong and it has made you unhappy we would like you to tell us about it, so that we can get it right in the future. You can do this by making a complaint.
You may think we are doing well, and want to tell us about it. Sometimes you might just want to let us know how you feel. Whatever you tell us we will treat you with respect, and fairness at all times.
You don't have to tell the person you want to complain about. You can tell someone you trust.
Who can help me?
If you need some help making a compliment or complaint you could ask your social worker, teacher, foster carer, advocate, family friend or anyone you trust.
What is an advocate and how can I get one?
An advocate is someone who will listen to you, and help you talk to us. If you want to they can be with you while you talk to us or meet us. We will help you find an advocate.
How to complain
Complete our Children's services complaints, compliments and comments online form
or you can write to the Statutory Complaints Team at:
The Council House
Solihull
B91 9QS
How we will deal with your complaint
Below is a brief explanation of the process:
Step one
When we get your complaint we will talk to you to make sure we understand what's making you unhappy. When we have done this we will talk to a manager and tell them how you feel.
The manager will look into your complaint and let you know what they have found out. They will try and do this in 10 working days. In difficult cases they can have an extra 10 working days to finish the investigation.
If you feel that your problem hasn't been solved, you can take your complaint to step two.
Step two
At step two we need someone who doesn't work for us to look at your complaint. This person is called an Investigating Officer; they will also have someone to help them. This person is called an Independent Person.
The Investigating Officer and Independent Person will need to meet you and your advocate if you have one, to talk about your complaint.
The Investigating Officer and Independent Person will then look at your complaint again. When they have done this they will write a report. This report will go to manager.
When a manager has read the report they will write to you to let you know what the Investigating Officer and Independent Person has found.
You will get the report in 25 working days. In difficult cases an extra 40 working days can be given to complete the investigation.
If you are still unhappy that your problem hasn't been resolved, you can take your complaint to step three.
Step three
This is our last step.
At step three we will have a meeting called a Review Panel to talk about why you are still unhappy. To do this we need the help of three people. Two of them are called an Independent Person and one is called an Independent Chair Person.
You and your Advocate, if you have one, will come to the meeting. You and your advocate can tell us why you're unhappy, and what you would like to happen. When you have told the panel how you feel they will check to see if we have looked at your complaint properly. If they think we could have done things better they will tell us. If they think we have done the best we can they will try and explain to you why they think this. The Review Panel will make a decision in 24 hours. The Review Panel will then send you a letter with all this information in 20 working days.
I'm still unhappy!
If you are still unhappy there are other people you can talk to who do not work with us. You can get their phone numbers and address' from us. There is always someone who can help you.
Local Government Ombudsman
If you are unhappy with the result of your Stage Three Independent Review Panel, you can contact the Local Government Ombudsman who will give you independent advice on your complaint. The address is:
The Local Government Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry
CV4 0EH
Phone: 0300 061 0614 / 0845 602 1983
Fax: 024 76820001
Mobile: Text "Call Back" to 07624804299
Email: advice@lgo.org.uk
Childline 0800 1111
Childline is the UK's free 24 hour helpline for children and young people in distress or danger. Trained volunteer counsellors comfort, advise and protect children and young people who may feel they have no where else to turn.
Children and young people can call childline about lots of problems such as, abuse (both sexual and physical), bullying, serious family tensions, worries about friends' welfare and teenage pregnancy.
0800 1111 won't appear on a landline phone bill, but if you call from a mobile you may be charged.
Data Protection
We will share information you give us with the part of the Council you name and other outside agencies. When you make a complaint we may get in touch with you to talk about it. If you would like to know more please call the Complaints Manager on 0121 704 6761 or by email at statutorycomplaints@solihull.gov.uk