Complaints: adults using children social services

Help us to improve our services

We welcome feedback from all service users, including parents and relatives, foster carers, adopters and adopted adults. This is a valuable way to help us improve our services.

It is important to let us know when things are going wrong and going well. Please use the complaints form to give us your suggestions and compliments, as well as complaints.

Download the "Improving our Services" leaflet (1.4MB PDF file)

This document is produced in PDF format. To view it you may need to download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Your right to complain

We provide a wide range of services to many children and adults and sometimes things can go wrong. At times, you may disagree with our decisions or think that you and your child should be provided with a particular service. If this happens, you have a right to discuss your views with a manager and to receive a written response.

We want to know what has gone wrong, because we care about the quality of service we provide or is provided on our behalf.

After completing our investigation, we will write to you;

explaining why we have done or not done something in a particular way
with details of what appropriate action has been taken to put things right
letting you know who to contact if you remain dissatisfied

Confidentiality

We keep information about people who use our services; however, your personal information is only ever given to people who need it. Visit the access to personal information page to find out how you can see this information.

Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you have a right to see the information we keep about you, whether held on computer or on paper. We might hold some information back:

If showing you the information could cause harm to you or other people;
Where legal restrictions apply, for example, due to court proceedings, or if a crime has been committed;
Where information has been given by other people who have not agreed to you seeing it;
Where the information is about other people in your family in your family unless they have agreed for you so see it.

As a parent or relative you do not have an automatic right so see your child's or relative's records. Whether you can or not will depend on that person's age and ability to give consent, and the nature of the record.

Whenever possible requests to see your records should be made in writing to your local office or to the person you normally deal with. Alternatively, you can contact the council’s Corporate Information Officer or the Complaints Team.

How to get help to make a complaint

If you want to complain or comment, but need help, please let us know.

We can arrange for translations or an interpreter, or we can help if you have a sight or hearing impairment by providing a Braille translation or audio tape. We can also arrange for you to talk to someone from your background, or to talk to a particular person.

If you would like to talk to someone who does not work for Children Social Services, you can get help from:

Family Rights Group
Tel 020 7923 2628
Web www.frg.org.uk

The Children's Legal Centre
Tel 020 8580 1664
Web www.childrenslegalcentre.com

Fostering Network
Tel 020 7620 6400
Web www.fostering.net

Adoption UK
Tel 0844 848 7900
Web www.adoptionuk.org

Parentline Plus
Tel 0808 8000 2222
Web www.parentline.org.uk

You can find out more sources of information by using the Children and Young People's Directory

How to make a complaint

There are many ways to make a complaint, but the quickest and most effective way is to talk directly to the people you normally deal with or to their manager. Tell them what you are unhappy about and that you wish to make a complaint. Most problems and misunderstandings can be sorted out quickly this way.

You can ask the staff at any Children Social Services office to record your complaint in writing and send it to the Complaints Team for you. There is also a freepost complaints form that you can fill out and post to the Complaints Team or email to childrenservicescomplaints@walthamforest.gov.uk

Alternatively, you can make your complaint by:

Using the webform
Calling Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000 and asking to make a complaint

We can only look into complaints if they are made within 12 months of the date on which the subject of the complaint occurred or came to the attention of the complainant. If it is over 12 months, the Complaints Manager will decide whether to investigate the matter.

What we will do about your complaint

Stage one

We will contact the manager of the service your are complaining about to try and sort out the problem. They will respond to your in writing within 10 working days. If the matter is complex, then they may need a little bit longer to; but it should not take more than 20 working days.

Stage Two

If you are not satisfied with the outcome, please let us know within 20 working days from the date of the letter. We will appoint an independent Investigating Officer to look into your complaint. This person does not work for the council, but is experienced and knowledgeable about children’s social services. The investigation will look at all aspects of your complaint and a report will be written.

In some cases, we will also appoint an Independent Person in addition to the Investigating Officer to ensure that your complaint is looked at fairly and reasonably. The Investigation ‘team’ look at all aspects of the complaint together.

You will receive a letter from the Deputy Director of Children and Young People Services in response to your complaint, along with the investigation report(s). This usually takes a further 25 working days, but we will let you know if it is likely to take longer.

Stage Three - Review Panel

If you feel that the situation has not been sorted out, or you’re unhappy with the outcome, you can ask for the case to be heard by a Review Panel. This Panel is made up of three independent people who do not work for the Council. Your complaint must be heard by them within 30 working days.

This Panel will take a ’fresh look’ at your complaint and consider what stands in the way of it being resolved. It will make recommendations to the Executive Director of Children and Young People Services, who will then write to you within 20 working days of receiving the Panel's recommendations, explaining what they have decided to do.

Download a copy of the "Review Panel and You", - information and guidance leaflet for Children and Young People Services complainants. (1.2MB, PDF file).

Local Government Ombudsman

If you remain dissatisfied with the final response and outcome of your complaint or the way Children Social Services have handled the matter, you have a right to take your complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman.

Their address is:

Local Government Ombudsman
PO Box 4771, Coventry CV4 0EH
Tel 0300 061 0614
Fax 024 7682 0001
Web www.lgo.org.uk
E-mail advice@lgo.org.uk

There is more than one way to raise your concerns

You can discuss your concerns about any council service with your local Councillor or MP at any time. You can find out who your local Councillor is by asking at your local library or calling Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000.

Click here to find details of local Councillors and their surgeries.

MPs details are available by clicking here.

How to get in touch with Children Social Services

To contact Children Social Services or to make a complaint about Children Social Services, please call Waltham Forest Direct on 020 8496 3000, Minicom 020 8496 3010.

Contacting the Children and Families Complaints Team

For more information on making a complaint, please contact: (no stamp required)

FREEPOST RRAC-YJAH-EYZH
Complaints Manager
Children & Families Complaints Team
Children and Young People Services
Silver Birch House
Uplands Business Park
Blackhorse Lane
Walthamstow E17 5SD
(please note: this building is not open to visitors)

Tel 020 8496 3000 (ask for the Complaints Manager for Children’s Social Services)
Fax 020 8496 3659
Minicom 020 8496 3010 (for deaf and hard of hearing users only)
Email childrenservicescomplaints@walthamforest.gov.uk

For complaints about healthcare

Consumer Relations Department
Outer North East London Community Services
PALS and Complaints
Chingford Health Centre
109 York Road
Chingford, E4 8LF
Tel 0208 430 7342

For complaints about Children’s Mental Health Services

Complaints Officer
North East London Foundation NHS Trust
Maggie Lilley Suite
Goodmayes Hospital
Barley Lane
Ilford IG3 8XJ

Tel 0844 600 1295
Fax 0844 931 0114

Complaints form

Download a copy of the complaints, compliments and suggestions contact form (832KB PDF file).

Click here for the online Council complaints form