Christmas and New Year information
Find out all the information you need about our services over the Christmas and New Year period. This includes our opening times, waste collection days, and how to contact us out of hours.
Complaints procedure for social care
How the complaint procedure works for Children's Services and Adult Social Care.
Complaints about Children’s Services
There are three stages to the procedure and if you are not happy with our response at any stage, you can choose to take your complaint further. You can also withdraw your complaint at any stage. Complaining will not guarantee that you get new or alternative services but you may get an explanation about the lack of services or decisions made.
Stage one - local resolution and problem solving
Most complaints can be settled quite simply by discussing your problem with a member of staff on hand or with the team in Children's Services. We aim to settle your complaint as quickly as possible, usually between 10 and 20 working days. If it is not possible to settle your complaint locally, or you remain dissatisfied with the answer you receive, you may want to take your complaint to stage two of the procedure.
Stage two - investigation stage
If your complaint can not be resolved locally, you can request for it to be considered at stage two by an Investigating Officer and Independent Person appointed to examine your complaint. A complaint investigation can take between 25 and 65 working days.
Stage three - Review Panel
If you are not happy with the explanation or solution offered to you at stage 2, you have the right to ask for any outstanding issues to be considered again, this time by an Independent Review Panel. A Review Panel will be held within 30 working days of your request.
Complaints about children’s social care are investigated under The Children Act 1989 Representations Procedure (England) Regulations 2006
Complaints about Adult Social Care
When we receive a complaint, we will usually try to speak or meet with you to find out a bit more about it and what we think can resolve it. This process helps us work together to ensure we are considering the matter thoroughly.
We will put things right if we can, within an agreed timescale. If we cannot resolve a complaint, we will always provide a full and open explanation of our decisions or actions.
Complaints about Adult Social Care are investigated under The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009.
How to make a complaint