3.05.1 Complaints Procedure
NLCS are committed to putting the young person first and providing a quality service. We realise that things can sometimes go wrong, so we need to know when a young person, parent or guardian is not happy with our service. We will use complaints to look again at the way we provide care services and improve them.
NLCS strives to ensure that all young people, parents, guardians, and staff can make a major or minor complaint either formally or informally.
3.05.2 Our Promise
We are committed to putting you first and providing a high quality care service. This includes dealing with any complaint you may have.
- We will deal with your complaint quickly and fairly.
- We will tell you what is happening with your complaint and we will do everything we can to help you.
- We will treat the information you give us in confidence, keeping all records regardless of seriousness of the complaint confidential
- We will explain our decision.
- We will use complaints to review and improve the way we provide our care services.
- Making a complaint willnot affect the young person, parent or guardian right to receive our services.
- Other responsibilities include monitoring of complaints and preparation of annual reports.
- All records will be kept confidential and securely filed.
3.05.3 How do I make a complaint
All complaints are dealt swiftly and professionally. You can complain in person, by phone, letter, e-mail or completeourcomplaints form. Write to either: - Complaints Officer, if any of these persons are not suitable you may of course contact Ofsted (03001231231)
North Lakes Children’s Services
Complaints Officer
Warwick Bridge
Carlisle
Cumbria
CA4 8RRPhone:01228 564430 Fax: 01697742598
E-mail:
If you are a Parent or Guardian, when you contact us, please make sure you:
- Give your name, address, and phone number;
- Give the full name and address of the person you represent if you are complaining on behalf of someone else;
- Explain what your complaint is; and
- Explain how you would like us to put it right.
If your complaint is about a member of staff, you should direct your complaint to ComplaintsOfficer 01228 564430 or you may of course contact Ofsted (03001231231).
By law, we need to deal with some complaints in a different way. If so, we will tell you and give you more information. If you wish to make an appointment to discuss a complaint please contact Complaints Officer on the number above.
3.05.4 COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES
This policy should be used in conjunction with the DCSF Guidance (School Complaints Procedure – 22 May 2003) and alongside the NLCS Agreement.
The majority of issues raised by parents, the community or pupils, are concerns rather than complaints. North Lakes Children’s Services is committed to taking concerns seriously, at the earliest stage, in the hope of keeping the number of formal complaints to a minimum and without needing formal procedures. However, depending on the nature of the complaint, you may wish or be asked to follow the homes formal complaints procedure. For the home to be able to investigate a complaint, it needs to be made within one year of the incident occurring. If a complaint is older than a year it will not be investigated.
The prime aim of Complaints policy is to resolve the complaint as fairly and speedily as possible. Formal complaints will be dealt with in a sensitive, impartial and confidential manner. Malicious complaints may incur appropriate action by the home.
The following details outline the stages that can be used to resolve complaints.
NLCS complaints Policy has three main stages.
In summary they are as follows: -
- Step 1 – A concern is raised informally to complaints co-ordinator or a member of staff.
- Step 2 – Formal complaint is heard by the complaints co-ordinator or an appropriate member of staff.
- Step 3 – Complaint is heard by Governing Body’s Complaints Appeal Panel.
Stage 1 – Raising a concern:
Concerns can be raised with the home at any time and will often generate an immediate response, which will resolve the concern. The home requests that parents make their first contact the complaints co-ordinator if you feel more comfortable you can make a complaint to any staff. On some occasions the concern raised may require investigation, or discussion with others, in which case you will receive an informal but informed response within a day or two. The vast majority of concerns will be satisfactorily dealt with in this way.
If you are not satisfied with the result at Step 1, please write to or call the home within 10 working days and state what you would like the school to do. The Home will then look at your complaint at the next stage.
Stage 2 – Formal written Complaint:
Formal complaints shall be put in writing and addressed to North Lakes Children’s Services complaints co-ordinator, Warwick mill, Warwick Bridge, Carlisle, Cumbria CA4 8RR, marked Private & Confidential if you wish the person will write your complaint on your behalf. The complaint will be logged, including the date it was received. The Complaints officer will normally acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 3 Home working days of receiving it. In many cases this response will also report on the action the Home has taken to resolve the issue. The complaints officer will present their findings to the complaint panel that are not in any way associated with the complaint. This meeting will take place no later than 15 Home working days after the complaint was made. The aim will be to resolve the matter as speedily as possible. However, if you are not satisfied with the result at stage 2 please write to or call the Home within 10 Home working days of getting our response. You will need to tell the Home why you are still not satisfied and what you would like the Home to do.
Stage 3– Complaint heard by the Governing Body’s Complaints Appeal Panel:
If the matter has still not been resolved at Stage 2, then you will need to write to the Chair of Governors giving details of the complaint. The Chair or a nominated Governor will convene a complaints panel. The hearing will normally take place within 10 Home working days of the receipt of the written request for Step 3 investigation.
The aim of the Appeal panel hearing is to impartially resolve the complaint and to achieve reconciliation between the Home and the complainant. All parties will be notified of the Panel’s decision in writing within three Home working days after the date of the hearing. The letter will also contain what you need to do if you wish to take the matter further.
The Governors appeal hearing is the last Home-based stage of the complaints process.If the matter has still not been resolved at Stage 3 you may of course contact Ofsted our governing body on (03001231231). For further advice and guidance about the Home’s Complaints Procedure please contact North Lakes Children’s Services complaints officer on01228 564430
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT ALL CORRESPONDENCE, STATEMENTS & RECORDS ARE CONFIDENTIAL AND WILL BE KEPT ON FILE REGARDLESS OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE COMPLAINT.
Reviewed 14/06/2016by P Jenkinson Director of Care
Review by 14/06/2017