1. Complaints Regarding the Safeguarding Enquiry Process
Any complaint regarding how a social worker or council staff member has addressed a safeguarding enquiry should be submitted to:
Address:Customer Relations Team, Ballard House, West Hoe Road, Plymouth, PL1 3BJ
- Telephone: 0800 0681249 / 01752 307304
- Email: complaints.social.services@plymouth.gov.uk
Where complaints are received by Plymouth City Council’s Customer Relations team regarding a safeguarding enquiry process or outcome, they will be forwarded to the Strategic Safeguarding Lead (Adults) for consideration and response.
Complaints about the safeguarding process should be read in conjunction with ‘Casework Guidance Statement: Complaints about Safeguarding Adults Boards’.
2. What Will Happen to My Complaint
The Customer Relations Team will acknowledge the complaint within three working days.
The complaint will be passed to the Strategic Safeguarding Lead (Adults) who will allocate an officer to respond to the complaint.
The officer assigned will contact you to discuss the complaint and agree a timescale for responding. After the agreed period, you will receive a letter of response from the relevant manager.
If you are not satisfied with the response, you can ask for your complaint to be considered by the Local Government Ombudsman.
The focus of the complaints procedure is to achieve the best outcome for both the individual concerned and the service. No service will be delayed, withdrawn or suspended because a complaint has been made.
3. Complaints by Professionals
Professionals, including advocates, making a complaint on behalf of an Adult at Risk may use the Plymouth City Council Complaints Procedure.
Concerns arising from professional disagreements should be discussed in the first instance with the line manager of the worker involved. In the event of this not being sufficient to resolve the issue, professionals should follow the Escalation Process to Resolve Professional Disagreement.
Concerns about the safeguarding enquiry process may also be discussed with the Strategic Safeguarding Lead (Adults) or Safeguarding Lead in any organisation.
Formal complaints by a professional involved in the care of the Adult at Risk regarding the conduct or handling of a safeguarding enquiry may be submitted to the Customer Relations Team. These will be treated as representations and will be passed to the Adult Safeguarding Manager who will respond accordingly.
4. Complaints from Anyone Being Investigated for Alleged Abuse or Neglect of an Adult at Risk
Formal complaints or representations can be submitted to the Customer Relations Team and will be acknowledged; however it may not be possible to respond to your concerns until the conclusion of the safeguarding enquiry.
Concerns about the timeliness of safeguarding enquiries will be passed to the relevant manager who will review the progress of the investigation and take steps to address any avoidable delay.
During a safeguarding enquiry, volunteers, professionals and paid carers should remain in contact with a nominated person at their workplace who can provide updates as they become available on the progress of the investigation. At an appropriate stage, an investigating officer will be in touch to discuss the allegation.
The Customer Relations Team will not be able to disclose any information relating to an on-going safeguarding enquiry including information about the nature of the allegation or the progress of the enquiry.
When the police are involved in an investigation, they will make decisions about when and how much information can be shared with the member of staff / volunteer.
Family members or anyone who is not a paid carer can also expect to be informed of the nature of any allegations at an appropriate stage during the enquiry. Any questions or concerns should be raised with the social worker or other investigating officer involved.