Agenda item

Report of Alison Routledge, Quality Assurance and Commissioning.

The Committee were presented with a report on complaints, compliments and representations for the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.

The Children’s Act 1989 Representations Procedure (England) Regulations 2006 sets out the procedure that Local Authorities have a responsibility to follow when a complaint is made about Children’s Social Service, Regulation 13 (3) of this Act states that all local authorities must publish an Annual Report (1 April to 31 March) to identify the number, detail and outcomes to all complaints received. This information within the Annual Report fulfils Gateshead Council’s obligations under this regulation and covers the period 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023.

The Committee were advised there are 3 stages to the procedure:-

Stage 1 – Local Resolution

Stage 2 – Investigation

Stage 3 – Review Panel

·        The Committee were informed that the number of formal contacts received citing dissatisfaction about Children’s Services decreased by 18% (72 from 88) compared with the number of dissatisfaction contacts received during 2021/22(88)

·        However, during 2022/23, 63% (125) of all Children’s Services contacts were compliments

·        Children’s Services received 8 Stage 1 complaints during 2022/23. This is a 27% decrease on Stage 1 complaints received during 2021/22 (11)

·        62% (5) of complaints related to the quality of services provided

·        No statutory complaints were received regarding professional misconduct of workers

·        One Corporate Complaint was received about actions by a member of staff within the Children’s Engagement Service. The complaint was later withdrawn by the complainant.

·        25% (2) of complaints were regarding the quality or lack of support provided by individual workers or services

·        The number of complaint related queries (low level issues nor requiring a written response) decreased by 11% compared to those received during 2021/22 (23 from 26)

·        Safeguarding and Care Planning Teams received 52% (12) of complaint related queries received. However, it was found that a number were relating to court proceedings and subsequently closed.

·        All complaint related queries received about Children’s Social Care were dealt with directly by either the Team Manager of the service complained about or by the Complaints Section after prior discussion with the worker concerned

·        There were four complaints registered at Stage 2 of the complaints procedure during 2022/23. Stage 2 is the progression from a Stage 1 complaint. The issues remain the same but require a more in depth investigation

·        There were also 3 Stage 3 Review Panels held during this time. All three Review Panels were progressions from Stage 2 investigations carried on in 2022/23

·        Two of the Panels held were from different members of the children’s family and related to the quality of support provided by the workers concerned. Decisions taken by the service were also the subject of both complaints. One Review Panel was regarding the quality of a Child in Need Assessment, where it was alleged that key information had not been recorded.

The Committee received details of the themes of statutory complaints received, equalities monitoring and learning from complaints.

The Committee were also advised that between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023, Children’s Services received 125 compliments about either individual workers or teams. This means that compared with the number of statutory and corporate complaints received during 2022/23, (18) 87% (125) were compliments about Children’s Services:-

·        16% (20) of compliments were regarding Access and Intervention Teams

·        4% (5) were regarding Children’s Business Support Officers

·        3% (4) were about the Cared for Children Team

·        33% (41) were about the Children with Disabilities Service, including Grove House Respite

·        33% (41) were regarding teams within Early Help

·        6% (8) were about the Safeguarding and Care Planning Teams

·        5% (6) were regarding the Safeguarding Unit, including FDAC and Children’s Engagement