Children’s social care complaints

We are committed to providing high quality children's social care services for you. Sometimes you can think of a better way of doing things. We want to know so that we can put it right.

If you have concerns about our social care services then you have the right to make a complaint. We want to know about any complaints, comments or suggestions you have about the services the Council and its partners provide. Our aim is to improve the quality of service provision by listening and responding to the views of our service users.

Complaints about Children’s Social Care are investigated under the The Children Act 1989 Representations Procedure (England) Regulations 2006 statutory complaints procedure. 

Complaints that fall outside of the Children’s Act guidelines will be investigated under Croydon’s Corporate Complaints process. You can find out more about this by clicking on the link.

How do I make a complaint?

Complaints should normally be submitted in writing by email or post; if you would like to talk through your complaint with a member of the Complaints Resolution Team you can call them on 020 8726 6000 ext. 44010.

The easiest way to register a complaint is to email us at complaints@croydon.gov.uk or you can write to us at:

Complaint Resolution Team
5th Floor, Zone D
Bernard Weatherill House
8 Mint Walk
Croydon
CR0 1EA

Can I have someone to support me when I make a complaint?

At any stage in the complaints process you can be represented by a friend, relative or an advocate. The only thing we will ask in order to do this is that we have your written consent for them to act on your behalf.

If you would like us to put you in touch with an advocate to help you through the complaints process, just let the Complaints Resolution Team know.

How we will manage your complaint – different stages

There are three stages to Children’s Social Care complaints.

Stage 1

At Stage 1, your complaint will be investigated by a senior manager within Children’s Social Services.

  • Your complaint will be acknowledged within three working days
  • You will be given a complaint reference number and the date by which you should receive a written response (usually 10 working days).

Stage 2

If you feel that your complaint has not been fully addressed or investigated at Stage 1, you can ask the Complaints Resolution Team to escalate it to Stage 2. At Stage 2, children’s social services complaints are investigated by an Independent Investigator and an Independent Person from outside of the Council.

  • Your request to escalate your complaint will be acknowledged within three working days
  • Once an Independent Investigator has been instructed they will contact you to take a statement of your complaint
  • An independent investigation usually takes between 25 and 65 working days.

Stage 3

If you remain unhappy after you receive the adjudication, you can request that your complaint is escalated to Stage 3 of the complaints process; this is a review panel, carried out by an independent Chair, which you will be invited to attend and take part in.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

If you remain dissatisfied once we have considered your complaint you may wish to refer it to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to consider it further. You can contact them;

  • by writing to:

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry
CV4 0EH

  • by telephoning: 0300 061 0614
  • by texting: Text 'call back' to 07624 804 299

For more information visit www.lgo.org.uk

What to do if you want to pay us a compliment

If you would like to pay us a compliment, for instance about the services you receive or the people who help you, you can let the Complaints Resolution Team know. They will ensure your compliment is logged and passed on to the person or team involved.

What to do if you want to make a comment

If you wish to comment on the services you receive, you can write to the Complaints Resolution Team. They will ensure your feedback is given serious consideration, and that you receive a response.

Useful Links

Complaints about schools

Unfortunately, we can’t take complaints about schools as they have their own complaints process. 

Under Section 29 of the Education Act 2002, Governing Bodies of all maintained schools and maintained nursery schools in England are required to have in place a procedure to deal with complaints relating to the school, and to any community facilities or services that the school provides.