Helping Services Listen Carefully, Learn Honestly and Act on What Children and Families Tell Them
About us
Resolution Ready is a specialist consultancy in children’s services. We support councils, charities and community organisations to build fairer, more accountable services for children and families. Our work is grounded in rights-based, trauma-informed practice and shaped by real experience. We believe services work best when people feel heard, understand what’s happening and know what to do next.
What we do
We help services listen carefully, learn honestly and act on what children and families tell them. In practice, this means improving complaints handling, carrying out reviews, strengthening quality assurance and supporting staff. We also offer creative facilitation through Thinking Differently using LEGO® Serious Play® to help teams reflect, plan and improve. Everything we do is about building the clarity, confidence and structure people need to respond well and move forward.
Working with Councils and Children’s Trusts
We work nationally with councils and children’s trusts to improve services for children and families. Our support includes statutory complaints investigations, quality assurance, case file audits, policy advice and professional development. We bring a grounded understanding of local government pressures and focus on practical support that helps services improve. We currently work with more than 15 local authorities across England.
Creative Facilitation with LEGO® Serious Play®
Our Thinking Differently sessions use LEGO® Serious Play® to support clearer thinking, stronger connections and better decisions. We bring certified facilitation expertise and inclusive tools that help teams reflect, explore difficult issues and build shared solutions. Whether you’re planning a team day or reviewing strategy, we help you slow down, think clearly and build something that matters.
Supporting the Voluntary and Community Sector
We provide practical, affordable support to voluntary and community organisations working with children and families. This includes help with complaints procedures, safeguarding reviews, staff training and participation tools. We understand the pressures on smaller organisations and offer flexible pricing, reduced rates and pro bono support where it makes a meaningful difference. Resolution Ready is a member of Consultants for Good, reflecting our commitment to ethical, values-led consultancy.
Our Theory of Change
If we start by listening to people’s experiences,
and we give space to reflect on what’s happening and what needs to change,
and we bring practical tools and clear structure to support better responses,
then people can act with confidence, services become more consistent, and outcomes for children and families improve.
Comprehensive Training for Every Stage of the Children Act Complaint Process
We offer three levels of training designed for the realities of local authority work. Snapshot Sessions provide focused 2-hour briefings perfect for team meetings, updates and introductory training. Workshop Sessions deliver 4-hour skill-building experiences for investigating officers and managers. Our Signature Sessions offer full-day intensive development for senior staff, complaint leads and panel members. All sessions include practical tools, templates and real-world examples from over 20 years of Children Act complaints experience.
Quality Assurance and Consultancy That Prevents Escalation
Councils with low stage one resolution rates see escalation in up to 40% of cases, compared to just 5-15% in authorities with better initial handling. Our consultancy services include mini QA health checks, complaint response feedback, end-to-end reviews and critical friend support. We help identify patterns, strengthen systems and provide independent insight where it's most needed, working flexibly at a scale that suits your team.
Led by James Anderson CMgr FCMI, Founding Director of Resolution Ready
James Anderson CMgr FCMI FRSA is a children’s services consultant with over 20 years’ experience in safeguarding, early help, children’s rights and service improvement. He is the founding director of Resolution Ready, working nationally with local authorities, children’s trusts and charities, and is regularly commissioned as an independent investigating officer, panel chair and adviser under the Children Act complaints process. James is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator.
Having an external view helped us step back and see the bigger picture. The feedback was practical and clear, with a focus on what really mattered. It’s been an invaluable part of improving our complaint responses.
Creative Facilitation and Team Development Support
We design thoughtful facilitation sessions using visual tools, mapped thinking and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® techniques. Whether you need a team away day, strategic planning session or reflective space after difficult periods, we create structured environments that support honest conversation and practical action planning. Our facilitation works particularly well for multi-agency partnerships and cross-service initiatives.
Support for Charities and Community Organisations
We offer affordable, practical support to voluntary and community organisations working with children and families. This includes help with complaints processes, safeguarding policies, staff training and participation tools. We understand the pressures on smaller organisations and offer flexible pricing, reduced rates and pro bono input where it makes a meaningful difference.
