Delays plague children's social care complaint system

A study by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) claims that a combination of issues are causing it to “creak under the strain”.

When councils receive complaints from, or in relation to, children, they must follow a statutory three-stage complaints process.

The LGO report found that although there were advantages to the system in that it is independent, has strict timelines and has clear guidelines and clarity about who can complain, there are also a number of areas for improvement:

Local government ombudsman Dr Jane Martin said: “The cases from people who complain to us and what we hear from councils, points to a children’s social care complaints system that is creaking under the strain.

“Councils provide crucial support to thousands of young people at difficult and often traumatic times so it is essential that if things go wrong, problems are sorted out quickly and openly.

“While we are clear that councils have a statutory duty to follow this process, in this report we are asking whether the process is impacting on the best interests of children and young people.”    

The report reveals that some councils want the complaints process to become non-statutory, in order to focus on effective outcomes for children and young people.

Imelda Redmond, chief executive of 4Children, said: “This worrying report yet again highlights that the needs and voices of children and young people, particularly the most vulnerable, are often going unnoticed.

“Wherever and whenever issues arise we need a robust, swift and independent response to ensure children and young people are kept safe.

“The delays and shortcomings in the processing of complaints noted in this report should be of serious concern.

“Action should be taken now to ensure that vulnerable children are heard – and their worries dealt with at the earliest possible opportunity.”

David Simmonds, chair of the Local Government Association’s children and young people board, said: “Councils are committed to listening to the concerns of children and young people, either directly or through their advocates, and will want to reflect on the learning in this report to encourage them to share their views.

“We recognise there are always areas that can be improved and we will work hard to make the complaints system easier for young people to navigate and ensure that issues are resolved quickly and fairly.”