A report providing the Committee with an overview of complaints, compliments, SARs activity and performance for Children’s Social Care for the period from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022.

The Executive Director of Children’s Services – Education, Early Help and Social Care, Brighter Futures for Children, submitted a report providing an overview of complaints and compliments activity and performance for Children’s Social Care for the period from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022.  A summary of Children’s Social Care Complaints and Compliments 2020/21 was attached to the report at Appendix A. Nayana George, Customer Relations and Information Governance Officer, provided an overview to the Committee.

The report stated that over the period from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 the service had received 65 statutory complaints, which was a 7.14% decrease compared to the 70 that had been received in 2020/21.  Of the 65 complaints received, 9 had been resolved through alternative dispute resolution (ADR) by the social care teams.  The remaining 56 had progressed to a formal investigation, although six of these had been subsequently withdrawn by the complainant once the investigation had commenced. The top complaint themes were quality of service, staff conduct and complaints around various procedures.  The Customer Relations Team and BFfC’s Communications, Marking and HR teams continually work with Brighter Futures for Children staff to raise awareness of the complaints process with staff and the public.

Between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022, the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) had received 16 representations; which was an increase of 11 from the previous year.  Of the cases four had been investigated and upheld, one case was not upheld and six cases were had been referred back to BFfC.  The remaining six cases were not within the LGSCOs jurisdiction to investigate or were closed after the initial assessment.

The LGSCO did not issue any findings of maladministration by BFfC.

During the same period a total of 64 compliments had also been received.

It was reported that some data around ethnicity was difficult to capture as not all service users wanted to disclose their ethnicity.  Options would be explored if this could be made mandatory on the web form.  Some complaints were submitted via email or letter and options would also be explored for these methods. 

The Executive Director for Children’s Services explained that he would be writing personally to families who have submitted a complaint to follow up and receive further feedback and learning. A proactive approach would be undertaken and reporting next year would include data on ethnicity and the culture of complaints. There would also be further engagement work with fathers to provide deeper learning of issues.  It was noted that there had been good support from the Customer Relations teams to help provide a better level of understanding of background issues and needs.

Resolved –    That the contents of the report and intended actions to further improve the management of representations, particularly complaints, in children’s services in Reading be noted.