Agenda item

Purpose of the report:

Scrutiny of Services/ Performance Management

To provide a summary of the Children’s Services Annual Complaint Report 2014-2015 highlighting:

·         Learning arising from complaints

·         What we are doing well

·         What we need to improve

Witnesses:

Belinda Newth, Head of Rights and Participation

Caroline Budden, Deputy Director – Children, Schools and Families 

Key points raised during the discussions:

1.    The Deputy Director for Children’s, Schools and Families noted how the services provided children and young people the right to complain and have an input on the service they receive and any changes or recommendations.

The Deputy Director noted that there was a slight reduction in referral rates in 2015 because of the increase in identification as well as identifying issues early. Regarding complaints, the Deputy Director informed the Board that most complaints were resolved by explanation and that the vast majority of complaints were at stage 1, a small number of complaints in stage 2 and there were no complaints at stage 3. Importantly, the Deputy Director noted that there was no investigative government which was the highest stage.

A Board member noted that people want to be treated fairly and the other was that the complaint should be dealt with quickly. The Board member also noted that the targets should be high in the percentages. The Deputy Director appreciated the feedback from the Board member and stated that most of the complaints were processed within 20 working days. Further to this, the Deputy Director noted that they used to be ambitious with time scales however issues such as court processes and disengagement of service users causes delays in the processes.

2.    The Vice Chairman asked how many service users had a mental illness and were the officers fully trained to work with those with mental disability or mental illness. The Vice Chairman also inquired what support the service users receive after their treatment at the service and do they come back with complaints in the short or long term. The Deputy Director noted that some service users have mental illnesses and that staff were trained. The Deputy Director also informed the Board that in terms of post-service support, there was an advocacy service that ran alongside as well as participation services available.

3.    The Deputy Director also noted the point raised regarding timing of the response and actions to the complaint, in which the Deputy Director noted that the service strives to manage the complaints as quickly as possible and that the first response was most critical. This was echoed by a Board member that the service would need to take the time to get the right response however the Board member praised the service’s timescales.

In response to a Board member’s inquiry of how the service is going to address the issues stated. The Deputy Director noted that it was important to inform staff to be open and transparent as well as the feedback would be included into the training of staff.

4.    The Chairman raised a question regarding why 183 complaints were not taken further into the process and was there any correlation between the complaints that were not taken further and the Ofsted report that was published earlier in 2015. The Deputy Director replied that the complaints were collective and not specific and that there would be some correlation between the Ofsted report and the complaints.

5.    A Board member raised the issue of challenging the assertion that an increase in the rates of complaints is not a positive approach. The Deputy Director noted that the past, the ‘increases’ in complaints were received positively however the priority is the response timescale and the nature of response to the complaints as well as brining about change.

6.    A Board member expressed concern regarding the limited availability of accommodation for care leavers. The Deputy Director stated that care leavers were supported. The Head of Rights and Participation emphasised that care leavers have other routes and mechanisms where they can raise issues and be heard, through advocacy services, they are supported right to the outcome. The Head of Rights and Participation also noted that that there was a pilot introduced a basic DIY skills programme as well as encouraging a positive relationship with housing and benefit advice officers.

The Board agreed to the report.

Actions/further information to be provided:

            None.

Board next steps:

            None.