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Making a complaint about our services

 
From time to time, people who use our services will want to make a complaint about the service that they have requested, or receive.

This page will tell you how to go about making your complaint.

Who can complain?

You can complain if you are a child, care leaver, or adult who has requested or received a service from Greenwich Children's Services. If you are a parent, or a person who has sufficient interest in a child's welfare, you can also complain on a child's behalf.

Who should I complain to?

You can complain to your social worker, your social worker's manager, or an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO). You can also make your complaint to the Children's Services Complaints Manager.

How do I make my complaint?

There are several ways for you to make your complaint:

  • You can make your complaint directly to your social worker, an Independent Reviewing Officer, or another member of our Children's Services social work team.
  • You can write to the Children's Complaints Manager at:
    • The Children's Complaints Manager
      Children's Services
      Riverside House East
      Woolwich High Street SE18 6BU
      Fax: 020 8921 3184
    • or contact the Children's Complaints Manager on:
      Tel: 020 8921 3082 (you can also text this phone number)
      Email: childrens.complaints@greenwich.gov.uk
  • You can also download a copy of our complaints leaflet here, and complete the complaints form on the leaflet. You can then send your completed form to the Children's Complaints Manager at the address or fax number above.
  • You can leave a message with the Children's Complaints section's administrator on:
    Tel: 020 8921 2041
  • You can email or text any of the people above if you have their email address or telephone number and ask them to ring you back. The Complaints Manager will also tell you his or her name.
  • You can contact the Independent Reviewing Officers (IRO) by leaving a message with the administrator at the Adhikaar Centre on:
    Tel: 020 8856 9932

What will happen next?

In the first instance, the social worker and his or her manager will try and sort things out quickly and properly with you.

Stage one

If the issue is not sorted out quickly, the Complaints Manager will make sure that the complaint is understood and will then ask one of the managers to try and sort it out with you within ten working days, or a maximum of 20 working days.

The Complaints Manager may have further contact with you during this stage, and if you are a child who is looked after by the Council, the Complaints Manager will make sure that someone is appointed to support and advocate for you if you wish.

This part of the process is called Stage One of the complaints process.

Stage two

Most issues and problems are usually sorted out by the end of Stage One. If they are not, the Complaints Manager will appoint an Independent Investigating Officer to investigate the complaint fully. This is called a Stage Two investigation, and should take up to 25 working days (five weeks) or a maximum of 65 working days (13 weeks) if it is complicated.

Stage three

On rare occasions, the problem is still not sorted out by the end of Stage Two. If this happens, a Stage Three Review Panel of three independent people may be called together to look at your complaint.

Local government ombudsman

At any point in this process, you may approach the Local Government Ombudsman. The Local Government Ombudsman is an independent and free service that investigates complaints about Councils. You can contact the Local Government Ombudsman at:

  • Local Government Ombudsman
    The Oaks
    No 2 Westwood Way
    Westwood Business Park
    Coventry CV4 8JB
    Tel: 024 7682 0000
You can expect to be treated with courtesy, honesty and respect while making your complaint and going through the complaints process. Please advise us if you feel that this has not been the case for you.

Further information

If you require further information about making a complaint, please contact our Children's Complaints Manager using the contact information in the menu on the right.

A to Z of Services

Contact information

  • 020 8921 3082 (you can text this number)

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