The complaints system for children’s social care is ‘creaking under the strain’, costing thousands of pounds while often failing to resolve issues – inspectors claim.
A study by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) has found the procedure is often subjected to long delays or fails to recognise complaints about children’s services.
Inspectors today questioned whether current statutory procedures for children’s services complaints – which was some years ago lost from adult social care complaints – are the best way to ensure effective support.
However councils emphasised that they were committed to recognising concerns about local children.
Fears were raised by local authorities that the interests of children were often not central to a complaint because only a small proportion were lodged by the young people affected.
Dr Jane Martin, local government ombudsman, said: ‘Councils provide crucial support to thousands of young people at difficult and often traumatic times so it 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.’
Cllr David Simmonds, chair of the Local Government Association's children and young people board, said: ‘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.’
