Suggestions¸complaints and compliments

Suggestions and compliments

Most people are pleased with the services they get. If you can tell us what we do well, or you can suggest improvements, we can give others a better service too.

Please tell us if you:

• are pleased with a service or a member of our staff who's helped you
• want to comment upon any of our services or suggest ways we can improve

How to tell us about your suggestions or compliments

• by downloading the form attached and sending to the address on that form, or
• by telling your contact person from Children and Young People's Services.

Complaints

We always try to give a good service but sometimes things go wrong. You can help us make changes by telling us about what is wrong and how you would like us to put it right.
You can complain about:

• a service
• a service that you feel should have been given and has not been
• the way we have dealt with the assessment of your needs
• a plan to meet your needs, or a decision that you are not happy with
• any action, attitude or behaviour of a member of staff which has affected you, your children or someone close to you

How to complain

Please try to sort it out with the person you are normally in contact with from the Children and Young People's Services Directorate. If we can not sort the problem 'on the spot' then you can make a formal complaint. You can do this by either:

• writing to the Customer Services Officer, using the attached downloadable form
• completing the form and emailing it to children&youngpeople@shropshire-cc.gov.uk
• if you are a young person wanting to make a complaint please complete the attached form

What happens then about the complaint?

There are different stages for dealing with those complaints which are covered by the special procedures for Children and Young People's Services.

Stage one
Receipt of your complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days. This stage involves a response from the appropriate local manager. You will normally receive a written response within 10 working days. If the complaint is more complicated then we may need to arrange a further period of up to 10 working days.

Stage two
This is used if you were dissatisfied by our response to your complaint at stage one. An investigation is arranged through Customer Services. The Investigator is accompanied by an Independent Person to report on the fairness of the investigation. You will receive a written response from a senior manager together with copies of the reports from the Investigator and the Independent Person. We are required to complete this stage within 25 working days from confirming the details of your complaint. For more complicated complaints we are required to discuss with you an extension of up to 65 working days in total. If you were unhappy with the response you would be able to request the next stage within 20 working days of receipt of the response.

Stage three
Review panel - three independent people review the situation with you present at the review which would be held within 30 working days of your request. After the meeting, the panel will write to you within 5 working days telling you what recommendations they are making to the Corporate Director of Children and Young People's Services. Within 15 working days of receiving those recommendations the Director will write to you with a decision.

If you remain dissatisfied after these stages then you can approach the Local Government Ombudsman who is entirely independent to the County Council.

If you need help to complain than you may contact one of the organisations listed below:

• Citizens Advice Bureau have a list of local solicitors
• Local Councillors - Details from Members Support Officer at Shropshire County Council
• Ofsted
• Local Government Ombudsman

If you wish to have help from someone independent to make your complaint then you could contact one of the following:

NSPCC Advocacy Service
(This help is only for children and young people making their own complaints.)
Childrens Rights Officer, NSPCC, Sycamore House, East Wing, The Professional Quarter, Shrewsbury Business Park, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6LG
Tel: 01743 281981
Email: sgoodman@nspcc.org.uk

PCAS
Disability Resource Centre, Lancaster Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 3NJ
Tel: 01743 450905
Email:pcas@shropshiredisability.org

For further information please contact the Customer Services Officer for Children and Young People's Services Directorate
Customer Services Unit, Children and Young People's Services Directorate, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, SY2 6ND
Tel: 01743 254524
Email: children&youngpeople@shropshire-cc.gov.uk