Complaints support for children's social care
Our complaints work is for local authorities and children's trusts handling complaints under the Children Act 1989, and it concentrates on how decisions are made, recorded and explained to children and families.
We train the people who handle complaints, we work alongside teams on the complex ones, and we look at how complaints move through a service and where they get stuck. Each piece of work follows Thinking Differently®, our four stage model of listening, reflecting, structuring and responding.
Training
Training for complaints staff, investigating officers, quality assurance leads and senior managers, built on the statutory procedure and the patterns that recur in stage 2 investigations and stage 3 panels, which generic complaints courses do not cover. Every session comes with tools and templates staff can use straight away.
Consultancy
Senior support for teams handling complex or sensitive Children Act complaints and service reviews, at any stage. Available as one off advice or through a short retainer.
Quality assurance
Audits, red flag reviews and case sampling that strengthen complaint responses and reduce avoidable escalation, alongside end to end reviews of how complaints move through the system.
What the training covers
Sessions draw on legislation, statutory guidance and what happens when complaints are investigated, and every programme comes with tools, templates and planning guides.
Training covers handling stage 1 complaints, the statutory framework under the Children Act 1989 and the 2006 Regulations, independent investigation skills and report writing, quality assurance and reducing avoidable escalation, and using complaints to improve services.
Sessions are tailored to the team's experience level, from short briefings to full day programmes. Every programme begins with a scoping call, and we ask for at least four weeks' notice to plan and confirm.
Fixed scope
Complaints Process Health Check
An independent review of how your children's complaints procedure works in practice. It looks at what happens to a complaint from the day it arrives, where it slows down and why, and what the responses say.
- A sample of recent stage 1 and stage 2 responses, read against the statutory framework
- A check of timescales against the regulations, and where they are being missed
- A look at how complaints are logged, escalated and signed off
- Conversations with the complaints manager and two or three officers handling complaints
- A written report with findings and a short list of changes, in priority order
- A session with the team or senior managers to talk the findings through
Usually four to six weeks from start to report. Every piece of work starts with an informal conversation.
Free download. Stage 1 response checklist (PDF), ten things a good response contains. Use it and share it freely.
Independent investigations and panel chairing
Resolution Ready does not act as independent investigating officer and does not chair stage 3 review panels. James Anderson takes those appointments personally, and they are commissioned directly by local authorities. There is more on the investigations and panel chairing page.
“I really valued the space to talk openly about what needs to change, and how we can help drive that through complaints, learning and strong partnerships with young people.”
Executive director of children’s services
Improving stage 1 responses and reducing escalation
Over eight months we worked with a large unitary authority to improve the way stage 1 Children Act complaints were handled. We reviewed more than 150 stage 1 responses and produced a quality assurance report for the director setting out strengths and areas for development.
We introduced a simple tracking form so managers could monitor progress and spot patterns, and worked directly with responding managers to help them plan their responses, structure their reasoning and write more clearly to families.
The authority reported clearer responses, stronger decision making and a reduction in avoidable escalation.
"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."
Service manager, safeguarding and quality assurance
Your questions answered
How do we get started?
Get in touch and we will arrange an informal conversation to understand what you need and agree an approach.
Do you provide independent investigations and panel chairing?
Not through Resolution Ready. James Anderson takes those appointments personally, and there is more on the investigations and panel chairing page.
Who do you work with?
Local authorities, children's trusts and the teams inside them, usually complaints and quality assurance functions, sometimes directly with senior managers or a director. Work ranges from a single training session to a review running over several months.
What makes your approach different?
We bring senior, specialist expertise built on twenty-five years in children's services, safeguarding and statutory practice. We say what we see, including when something needs to change. The advice comes from current practice in local authorities across England.
Can you help with an urgent or sensitive issue?
Yes. Call 07923 465645 or email office@resolutionready.org.uk and we will come back to you the same working day.