Social services complaints procedure
The information on this page is specific to services provided by
Social Care for Children and Young People in Knowsley. If you have
a complaint about other council services, you must follow the
corporate complaints procedure. Please read the following procedure
before
submitting your complaint or comment online.
We want to make sure we give you the right service to meet your
needs. Your comments, suggestions or compliments about a service
will help us improve our service to you.
However, if you do have a complaint you should contact the
person you deal with, or their manager in the first instance. The
team manager will address your issues and inform you of the
proposed action to be taken, in writing.
If the matter remains unresolved, you should follow the stages
of the complaints and representations procedure outlined below. The
Social Services Department is obliged by law to have a
complaints and representations procedure. This procedure is
operated in line with current legislation and inspected externally
periodically to ensure compliance and regulation.
For children & Young Persons complaints
Knowsley offers an independent advocacy service to support
children and young people in Knowsley who wish to make a complaint
or raise an issue that causes concern.
For further details call 0151 443 4281 or NYAS
Advocacy Service on 0151 649 8700
Complaints and representations procedure for social care
services
Making a
compaint
Stage 1
The aim is to resolve your complaint as close to the point of
the service delivery as efficiently as possible. You
should initially speak or write to the person you deal with or
their team manager outlining the issues of concern you have.
Alternatively you can complete a “Have your say” leaflet.
The Team Manager in conjunction with the Service Manager will
initially address the issues raised and will endeavour to resolve
the complaint at this stage within 10 working days, with the
relevant Service Manager undertaking further investigation if
necessary. You will then be advised of the outcome and proposed
action to be taken.
Stage 2
Complaints are formally recorded at this stage and your request
to proceed must therefore be in writing. You can request that
the advocate or another member of staff documents this with
you. You will then be sent a copy so you can alter anything
that is incorrect. As part of the stage 2 process an independent
Senior Manager with experience in investigating complaints will
make a full enquiry into the complaint raised and respond to you
within 10 days, where practical and unless an extension is
agreed. (As per the statutory complaints procedure, the
investigator will also be shadowed by an Independent
person)
Stage 3
If after the investigation and outcome at stage two the matter
remains unresolved and the complainant wishes to proceed to
the final stage of the complaints procedure, this request to
proceed must be received in writing within 20 working days of the
final outcome of stage 2. The Directorate will further review the
outcome of the investigation, the actions taken so far and consider
whether as a department it has discharged its duties. If the
directorate considers it has fully discharged its duties and cannot
reasonably do anything further for the complainant it may request
that the matter be referred to the Local Government
Ombudsman. Otherwise the complaint will proceed to a review
panel hearing and this will be convened within 30 days of the
request.
You are free to seek independent advice at any time You
may contact the Local Government Ombudsman or seek
advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau.
