Official complaints procedures- Children's Services

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Thread deleted in error by moderators. Reposted here in Suzie's name on behalf of users.


Postby ange301126 » Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:08 pm

To FRG,Suzie and all parents,

It is often advised that parents submit a complaint against the CS under the Official Complaints Procedures during cases.Suzie sometimes suggests it when due procedures aren't followed and often social workers appear incompetent.
Are there standard procedures throughout the country or does each authority have its own procedures? Below is a quotation from a letter sent out to Blueplain during his efforts to change the system.
Has any parent on the forums indeed complained and had at least one independent person involved at the first stage,then received a response within 28 days. Has anyone been informed of their right to request a panel hearing?
I wasn't ! The information given to me was quite different and it was several monthe before I got a response to stage one.


'If anyone is unhappy with the process that the local authority (LA) has engaged in, they have the right to make a formal complaint under the LA’s complaints procedures. They can do this by writing to either the Director of Children’s Services or the Designated Complaints Officer for the LA. They must then consider the complaint, appointing at least one person independent of the LA to take part in dealing with the issues raised, and provide them with a written response within 28 days.

If anyone is unhappy with the LA’s response, they may request a Panel hearing by writing to the authority within 28 days of the response. The Panel should be chaired by an independent person. If anyone remains dissatisfied with the handling of their complaint under the local procedures and thinks that the LA has treated them unfairly as a result of bad or inefficient management ('maladministration') and that this has caused them injustice (such as loss, injury or upset), they may wish to refer their complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO). '

Suzie,do you have any links for us ?



Postby Suzie, FRG Adviser » Mon Oct 06, 2014 3:04 pm

Hi Ange,
Have a look at our advice sheet about complaints procedures that apply in England. This sets out the process that each local authority will be following.
Here is a link to the local government ombudsman’s site which details the outcome of the all complaints that s/he has adjudicated on.

In Wales, the complaints process has differences. We recommend that parents go to the local complaints procedures.
Best wishes,
Suzie




Postby zeta » Tue Feb 10, 2015 1:37 pm

Dear sir/madam
I am happily marred for 24 years and I have 5 children 2 attended University`s twins in college and a 11 in primary school
I had my 3 children taken into carer in 2013/2014,a 10 and twins 15.5 because of secrecy from 3 different local authorities and police 13 years ago and the school nurse kept information since year 7.
My family went through 6 months of hell and back to get them back with us and we won ,but soon 1 of my daughter turned 16 and she decided to stay with her carers and they moved 80 miles away from us with out even telling us.
I was promised an Advocate a few weeks after they were taken but nothing happen,My husband had to postponed life saving surgery's because of all this,and the day we won our children he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer,soon after teenagers got home Social Services never contacted us again to let us know why one of my twin will not come home.
I feel angry and pain, for the lost of my twin daughter and her twin even more they been together for 16 years always close they have never been apart.
I want justice.
The Judge dint want to open a can Pandora`s it was big and so many people in Authority involve, I have all the papers from pass to present and names,because of my children I kept away from the media.
I hope one day I get my justice but for now my poor husband is fighting for his life so it has to wait.