Complaints Policy & Procedure
Child Arrangement Resolutions Complaints Policy and Procedure
This policy sets out how to complain about the service that you receive from Child Arrangement Resolutions (CAR) The process is intended to be as clear, fair, consistent, and timely as possible.
We strive to provide the highest standard of service to children, parents, carers, Legal firms, and Local Authorities, and are motivated to draw learning from any complaints raised. We encourage feedback from everyone who receives services from us. Maybe you feel we have done something badly or should have provided something in addition to what you received. Maybe you want to make a comment about a particular issue or pay us a compliment about something we have done well.
If we make a mistake, we will be open and honest about it as soon as possible. We will tell you about our mistake, explain why we think the mistake was made, and tell you how we will do our best to ensure it doesn’t happen again. We use information about mistakes and complaints constructively to reflect, learn, monitor, and improve our performance.
This policy covers complaints only. We obviously welcome positive feedback too. Comments, compliments, and suggestions are welcome via our feedback form which can be found on our website www.childarrange.com or can be requested via info@childarrange.com
What is a complaint?
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction whether justified or not, with any aspect of the CAR services. It is a statement that something has not met your expectations, or you are unhappy with the standard of service.
Making a complaint
If you have any complaints of concerns about the service that you have received from staff working at CAR, please let us know.
We hope that most problems we can be resolved easily and quickly, often at the time and with the staff concerned. If your problem cannot be resolved in this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like to know as soon as possible – ideally within 7 days as this will allow us to deal with the matter more effectively.
Complaints procedure
Upon receiving a complaint, the complainant will be invited to resolve the issue informally.
• Upon receiving a complaint, the complainant will be invited to resolve the issue informally.
• If the matter remains unresolved, a formal complaint may be submitted.
• Formal complaints should be submitted in writing by email to:
FAO: Elaine Stokes (Director)
Email: elainestokes@childarrange.com
• Formal complaints must be received within 30 days of the last date of service provided. We understand that there may be exceptional circumstances preventing someone from making a complaint within 30 days. In such cases, we encourage individuals to explain these circumstances when contacting us, and we will consider them on a case-by-case basis.
• If a complaint is raised during the provision of services, it may be necessary to suspend all services until the complaint is investigated and concluded.
• Formal complaints will be acknowledged within 3 working days of receipt.
• Investigations will be conducted by Elaine Stokes or an independent investigator from an external agency.
• A written response will normally be provided within 28 days, depending on the complexity of the issues.
Investigating a formal complaint
The formal complaint investigator/director will:
• Establish what has happened so far and who has been involved
• Clarify the nature of the complaint and what remains unresolved
• Meet or contact the complainant if further information is required
• Interview those involved and/or complained about, offering the option to be accompanied
Resolving the formal complaint
There are three possible outcomes to complaints:
• The complaint is not upheld (no evidence to support the complaint)
• The complaint is valid in part
• The complaint is valid in whole
Based on the outcome, CAR may:
• Provide a clear explanation if the complaint is not upheld
• Offer an apology, where appropriate
• Acknowledge where the situation could have been handled differently
• Take steps to remedy the situation, if appropriate
• Make changes to policies or procedures to prevent recurrence
Next Steps if You’re Not Satisfied
If a complainant remains dissatisfied once the complaints process has concluded, they will be advised of relevant external bodies they may contact to escalate their complaint. This may include:
• Social Work England
• The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Withdrawal of a formal complaint
If a complainant wishes to withdraw their formal complaint, they must confirm this in writing.
Serial Complaints
Child Arrangement Resolutions (CAR) is committed to handling complaints fairly and transparently. However, there may be occasions where the complaints process has been fully exhausted, and no further action can reasonably be taken. In such cases, CAR will consider the complaints process to be complete and will not reopen or re-investigate the same or substantially similar issues.
This includes situations where:
• The same or a substantially similar complaint has already been investigated and an outcome determined
• The complainant submits additions or variations to the original complaint without presenting any new, significant information
• The matter is outside CAR’s remit or authority to resolve
• The complainant refuses to accept the outcome without engaging with the appropriate escalation routes When deciding whether a complaint should be treated as a serial complaint, CAR will consider:
• Whether the issue has already been fully investigated and a clear outcome provided
• The steps already taken to address the complaint issues
• Whether any new information presented is significant enough to warrant re-investigation
• The extent to which the concerns raised differ from previous complaints
• Whether a clear explanation has been provided, including guidance on next steps such as contacting relevant external bodies (e.g. Social Work England or the Information Commissioner’s Office)
• The overall pattern and context of the complaint, including frequency and nature of previous submissions
