How to complain

You can complain to our customer service team. Email [email protected] or call 0800 011 3644. 

If you require help making a complaint, please visit the National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) website or call their helpline on 0808 808 1001.

Confidentiality  

Your social worker has the responsibility for collecting information about you and your family in order to plan services for you.

Information about you can only be shared with professionals who are involved with your care and welfare, such as teachers, your doctor and the police.

It’s okay to complain or say you are not happy about any part of the care you receive including your carers, social workers, youth workers or teachers. If we don't know about it, we can’t help and by speaking out you might even make things better for other children and young people too.

We always try to deal with complaints and compliments as quickly as we can and, where possible, we use them to improve our services.

Our complaints system

• gives you a chance to give your views to help make our services better
• provides valuable information so we can plan and review the services we provide

National youth advocacy service (NYAS)

NYAS are a children’s charity who work with children and young people to ensure that their voice is heard in important decisions which affect their lives.

Before making a complaint you could speak to an adviser to see if there's anything that can be done to resolve your issues, without making a formal complaint.

If you still want to make a formal complaint, a NYAS adviser can help you to write your complaint and will support you while it is being investigated.

Advocacy

Advocacy is a when a person you know and trust is assigned to speak and make decisions on your behalf about important decisions which affect your life.

An advocate can attend meetings with you, including children in care case reviews, personal education plans and child protection conferences. 

An advocate will provide you with information on their rights and entitlements. Being an advocate is about representing your views and ultimately enables them to become decision makers.

If you think you need independent help please contact NYAS.

Independent visitors scheme 

An independent visitor is there to be your friend and can help with consistency, support, advice and encouragement. 

NYAS supplies independent visitors to visit, advise and befriend young people who are looked after by their local authority.