Complaints By and For Children

For the child making a Complaint

If you are a child and want to complain, your foster carer can help you make a complaint as can your social worker or the Looked After Reviewing Officer.

You won’t be in trouble if you make a complaint.

The person who the complaint is about will not be involved in the investigation of the complaint.

Your complaint will be taken seriously and you won’t be in trouble if you make a complaint.

How and what will happen should be explained to you so you know what is going to happen.

Any action agreed should be explained to you.

Remember it is your right to complain if you are not happy about anything.

Your foster carer/social worker will guide you about what is a complaint and what could be an allegation and a safeguarding matter.

If you want to make a complaint about the fostering service, see: How Can I make a Complaint Against Foster for Bradford?.

It is important not to confuse complaints with allegations although there is sometimes an overlap. Any concerns in relation to a child who may be in need of protection must be dealt with under the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Children Procedures.

What a Complaint may be about and how a Foster Carer should support the Child

• The foster placement;
• The Fostering Service;
• The Local Authority including the child’s social worker;
• Something outside of this, like the child’s school/educational setting.

Your role is to:

• Listen to the child, take them seriously and try not to be defensive about what they are saying;
• Tell others like the child’s social worker or your Supervising Social Worker - they might see something in the complaint that you don’t;
• Try to help the child sort out the problem;
• Advocate (speak on their behalf) for the child where appropriate (like a pushy parent). depending on their age, stage of development and understanding;
• Help the child to access the formal complaints procedure for the Fostering Service Bradford Children and Families Trust;
• Ensure that they get feedback on what happens.

Most issues can be sorted out informally and speedily through discussion with either the child's social worker or your Supervising Social Worker, depending on what the problem is. Sometimes, the Fostering Service's Manager may be the most appropriate person to speak to about the concerns.

How Complaints are Managed in the Formal Process

Stage 1 - Local Resolution:

Who will investigate:
A team manager who knows about the child will look into their complaint. Ask your child’s social worker who their manager is or contact the Bradford Children and Families Trust Customer Care Team directly or ask the child’s advocate to do so:

Phone: 01274 432090
Email: customer.care@bradfordcft.org.uk

You can also make a complaint online.

When:
The manager will write to the child within 10 working days. They will also send a copy of the response to the Corporate Complaints Team. Sometimes it will not be possible to resolve the issue within the time scale, e.g. where files or records need to be checked or a key member of staff is not available so an extension of another 10 working days is allowed. The maximum period for a complaint to stay in Stage 1 is 20 working days.

What if the child is not happy?
If you and the child or young person are not satisfied you can ask that the complaint is dealt with at stage 2

Stage 2 - Investigation:

Who will investigate?
An investigating officer who does not know the child will look into and investigate the complaint.

An independent person will oversee the process to ensure that the child’s views are taken into account.

They will meet with the child/young person and discuss the problem. The child/young person’s advocacy worker can be there as well to support them.

When:
The investigators will send their report to the Complaints Manager within 25 working days of the receipt of the complaint. If this timescale is not possible, the Investigating Officer should consult with the Complaints Manager and agree a timescale for extension. In any event, this extension must not exceed a full response to the complaint within 65 working days. The child / young person / complainant should be informed out of the outcome of the complaint (or and delays).

What if the child is not happy?
The child/young person can take it to Stage 3, but they must do this within 20 working days.

Stage 3 - Review Panels:
Most complaints are sorted out after Stage 2, but in some cases, if you and the child are still not happy you have 20 days to ask for the complaint to go to a Review Panel. The request should be sent to the Complaints Manager who will ensure a Complaints Panel is set up within 30 days of the request being made.

Who:
A panel made of 3 independent people (who do not work for the Bradford Children and Families Trust) will meet with the child/young person (if the child/young person wants to), the advocacy worker, the people who investigated in Stage 2 and the Complaints Manager and the adjudicating officer who responded at Stage 2.

When:
They will send their views to the Strategic Director of Services for Children & Young People who will write to the child / young person within 15 working days after the panel.

What if the child is not happy?
If you are still not satisfied, you have the right to make representations to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

More detailed information on the complaints process, can be found in the Procedures Manual, see Bradford Children's Services Online Procedures, Complaints and Representations.

With regards to Fostering Services with either a local authority or Independent Fostering Agency you can contact Ofsted if you have continued concerns about the service.

Complaints may be made to Ofsted as the Regulatory Authority. Their contact details are:

Ofsted
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD
Tel: 0300 123 4666
E-mail: CIE@ofsted.gov.uk

Click here for information on how to complain to Ofsted about a provider they inspect or regulate.

Click here for the online complaints form.

However, Ofsted will not be able to consider any complaints until this internal Complaints process has been fully completed.

You can also contact the Children's Commissioner for England.