A brief guide to our Complaints Policywww.childcomwales.org.uk

Children’s Commissioner for Wales

SPEAKUP

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Keith Towler‚ the Children’s

Commissioner‚ wants to see

Wales as a country where

children and young people

are respected‚ valued‚ listened

to and supported to lead safe

and happy lives.

We work for every child and

young person in Wales who

is under 18 or up to 25 years

old if they have been in care.

Supportchildrenandyoung peopletofindoutabout children’srights.

LiStentochildrenandyoung peopletofindoutwhat’s importanttothem.

AdviSechildren,youngpeople andthosewhocareforthemif theyfeelthey’vegotnowhere elsetogowiththeirproblems.

infLuenCegovernmentand otherorganisationswhosay they’regoingtomakea differencetochildren’slives, makingsuretheykeeptheir promises.

SpeAk upforchildrenand youngpeoplenationallyon importantissues–beingthe children’schampionforWales.

We:

Have you asked us yet

Ifyouhaveaskedusforsupportandthenarenothappywithouractions,youwillbeabletomakeyourcomplaintknownbyfollowingthestepswedescribeoverleaf.

Wethinkit’sbesttolookintoyourcomplaintwhiletheissuesarestillfreshineveryone’smind.That’swhywesometimescan’tlookatsomethingthathappenedmorethan12monthsago.

Wemaybeabletolookatcomplaintswhicharemadelaterthanthisifyouexplainwhyyouhavenotbeenabletotellusaboutitearlier.Wewillnotbeabletolookatanycomplaintsthathappenedmorethantwoyearsago.

Ifyou’remakingacomplaintforsomeoneelsewe’llneedtomakesurethattheyagreetothis.

Putting Things Right

Ifwedidn’tdosomethingweshouldhavedone,we’llaimtodoitnowifthat’spossible.Ifwedidn’tdosomethingwell,we’llaimtoputitright.

We want to listen

Tomakesureweworkwellasateamwewanttolistencarefullytoanycomplaintsyoumayhaveaboutourwork.Wewillhandleyourcomplaintinanopenandhonestway.

Importantly,wewillmakesureyourcontactwithusinthefutureisnotaffectedbecauseyou’vemadeacomplaint.

When to use this leaflet

Whenyoutellusaboutyourcomplainttherearedifferentwayswewillrespond.Youcanreadallaboutthisonpage4and5ofthisleaflet.Sometimes,youmightbeconcernedaboutmattersthatarenotdecidedbyusandwewillgiveadviceaboutwhocouldhelpwithyourcomplaint.

What if I need help

Wewillhelpyoutoshareyourcomplaintwithus.Wewillaskyouhowyouwouldlikeustocontactyouandcheckwhetheryouhaveanyparticularneedse.g.ifyouhaveadisability.Ifyouneedextrahelp,wewilltrytoputyouintouchwithsomeonewhocanhelp.

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What you need to do: What we will do:

Step 1Youareunhappywithsomethingandhaveacomplaint.

this is called an informal Complaint

Shareyourcomplaintwiththepersonyouaredealingwith.

Trytosortitoutwithyoustraightaway.

Step 2Youhavemadeaninformalcomplaintandarestillnothappywiththesolution.

this is called a formal Complaint

Fillintheformatthebackofthisleaflet–orcalluswithyourcomplaint.Youwillbeaskedspecificquestionswhichwillhelpyouthinkaboutwhatyouwanttosay.

Readpage5ofthisleafletforthingsthatyoumaywanttothinkabout.

Wewillletyouknowwithin5workdaysthatwehavereceivedyourcomplaint.

Offertomeetwithyou,sharewithyouourunderstandingofyourcomplaintandcheckwithyouthatwe’vegotitright.

Explorethefacts,lookintoitandgetbacktoyou.

Tryandsortoutyourcomplaintin15workdays.

Offerasolutiontoyourproblemandaskyouifyou’rehappytoacceptthis.

Inmoreseriouscaseswewillaskanindependentreviewertolookatyourcomplaint.

taking your complaint outside the office of the Children’s Commissioner for Wales

Step 3Youhavemadeaformalcomplaintandarestillnothappywiththesolution.

this is called an independent Complaints review

WritetoorspeaktotheIndependentComplaintsReviewer(seepage5).

Tellusifyouneedhelpatthisstage.

Wecangiveyoudetailsonindependentorganisationsifyouneedthem.

WewillsendfilestotheIndependentComplaintsReviewer(ICR)iftheICRasksforthem.

RespondtothereportfromIndependentComplaintsReviewer.

Apologiseifwehavegotsomethingwrongandlearnlessonsfromourmistakes.

Step 1 An informal complaint

Ifpossible,webelieveit’sbesttodealwiththingsstraightawayratherthantrytosortthemoutlater.Ifyouhaveacomplaint,thentrytotalkaboutitwiththememberofstaffwhoyouhavebeendealingwith.Heorshewilltrytosortitoutforyouthereandthen.IfthereareanylessonstolearnfromdiscussingandsortingoutyourcomplaintthenthememberofstaffwilldiscussthemwiththeHeadofCorporateServiceswhoisalsoourComplaintsOfficer.

Ifthememberofstaffcan’thelp,theywillexplainwhyandyoucanthenaskforaformalinvestigation.

Step 2 A formal complaintYoucanmakeaformalcomplaintby:

PhoningtheHeadofCorporateServiceson:01792 765600orfreephone:0808 801 1000.

Talkingtothepersonyouareincontactwithandaskforacopyofourform.

Fillingintheformonourwebsiteat:www.childcomwales.org.uk andreturnitviaemailorpost(seedetailsbelow).

Fillingintheformatthebackofthisleaflet*.

Email:post@childcomwales.org.uk

Writingtousat:Children’s Commissioner for Wales, freepost rrGL XLYC BHGC, Swansea, SA7 9fS

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Step 3Independent Complaints Reviewer

Ifyouarestillnothappywiththesolutiontoyourcomplaint,youmaycomplaintotheIndependentComplaintsReviewer(ICR).TheICRissomeonewhoisnotinvolvedintheOfficeoftheChildren’sCommissionerforWales.TheICRcanlookintoyourcomplaintifyouthinkthatyouhavebeentreatedunfairlyorreceivedapoorservicefromus.

TheICRexpectsyoutobringyourcomplainttoourattentionfirstandtogiveusachancetoputthingsright.

YoucancontacttheICRat:iCr office, dover House,66 Whitehall, London SWiA 2Au

tel: 020 7930 0749

email: enquiries@icr.gsi.gov.uk

Therearealsootherorganisationsthatconsidercomplaints,forexample,thePublicServicesOmbudsmanforWalesaboutpublicservices.Wecantellyouaboutsuchorganisations.

*TheformisavailableinWelshandEnglish,inotherlanguagesaswell,andinaudioversionorlargeprint.

We will let you know we have received your complaint within 5 work days and we will:

Askyouhowyouwantusto communicatewithyou.

Tellyouwhowehaveaskedtolook intoyourcomplaint.

Establishthefacts,lookintoitand getbacktoyou.

Appointanindependentreviewer inmoreseriouscases.

Sharewithyouourunderstanding ofyourcomplaint,checkwithyou thatwe’vegotitright.

Askyouifyouarehappyforusto lookatanyfilesaboutthecase.

Askyouwhatoutcomeyou’re hopingfor.

Offerasolutiontoyourcomplaintand askyouifyou’rehappytoacceptthis.

Tryandresolveyourcomplaintin15 workdays.

if your complaint is complicated and likely to take longer than 15 days to sort out we will:

Puttogetheranactionplan.

Letyouknowwhywethinkitmay takelongertoinvestigateandtell youhowlong.

Sometimesmeetwithyouto discussthecomplaint.

Lookatfiles,notesofconversations, letters,emailsoranythingelsethat mighthelp.

Talktostafforothersinvolved.

Letyouknowwherewehavereached withtheactionplanandgiveyou regularupdates,includingtellingyou whetheranydevelopmentsmight changeouroriginalplan.

Outcome

Whenwelookintoyourcomplaint,wewillletyouknowwhatwehavefound.Thiscouldbebyletterore-mail,forexample.We’llexplainhowandwhywecametoourconclusions.

Ifwefindthatwegotitwrong,we’lltellyouwhatandwhyithappened.We’llshowhowthemistakeaffectedyou.Ifwefindthereisafaultinoursystemsorthewaywedothingswe’lltellyouwhatitisandhowweplantochangethingstostopithappeningagain.Ifwegotitwrong,wewillalwayssaysorry.

Learning lessons

Wetakeyourcomplaintsseriouslyandtrytolearnfromanymistakeswe’vemade.Ourmanagementteamdiscussesasummaryofallcomplaintsevery6monthsaswellasdetailsofanyseriouscomplaints.OurAuditCommitteealsodiscussesourresponsetocomplaintsatleasttwiceayear.

Wherethereisaneedforustochangesomething,wewilldevelopanactionplansettingoutwhatwewilldo,whowilldoitandwhenweplantodoitby.Wewillletyouknowwhenchangeswe’vepromisedhavebeenmade.

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LISTEN

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Children’s Commissioner for Wales

Complaint form (See Step 2)

Yourrequirements:ifourusualwayofdealingwithcomplaintsmakesitdifficultforyoutousethisform,forexample,ifEnglishorWelshisnotyourfirstlanguageoryouneedtoengagewithusinaparticularway,pleasetellussothatwecandiscusshowwemighthelpyou.

Thepersonwhoexperiencedtheproblemshouldnormallyfillinthisform.Ifyouarefillingthisinonbehalfofsomeoneelse,pleasefillinyourdetailsinsectionAandtheirdetailsinsectionB.Pleasenotethatbeforetakingforwardthecomplaintwewillneedtosatisfyourselvesthatyouhavetheauthoritytoactonbehalfofthepersonconcerned.

Surname:

forename(s):

title: Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms/if other please state:

Address and postcode:

e-mail address:

daytime contact number:

Mobile number:

please state by which of the above methods you would prefer us to contact you:

B: Making a complaint on behalf of someone else: their details

their name in full:

Address and postcode:

What is your relationship to them?

Why are you making a complaint on their behalf?

A: Your details

Head of Corporate Services, Children’s Commissioner for Wales, oystermouth House, phoenix Way, Llansamlet, Swansea, SA7 9fS

Whenyouhavecompletedthisform,pleasesenditto:

if you need extra help with this form tell us and we will try to put you in touch with someone who can help.

Ifyouhaveanydocumentstosupportyourcomplaint,pleaseattachthemwiththisform.

C1. What do you think we did wrong, or failed to do?

C2. describe how you personally have suffered or have been affected.

C3. What do you think should be done to put things right?

C4. When did you first become aware of the problem?

C5. Have you already put your complaint to the officer responsible for delivering the work? if so, please give brief details of how and when you did so.

C6. if it’s more than 12 months since you became first aware of the problem, please give the reason why you have not complained before now.

Signature: date:

C: About your complaint (please continue your answers to the following questions on a separate sheet(s) if necessary)

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