Simon Garner, Corporate Safeguarding Manager outlined a report giving information on representations and complaints received by children’s specialist services within the Children and Young People’s Department for the year 1^st April 2014 to 31^st March 2015. The report demonstrated an overview of complaint trends, performance and areas for development. Members were informed that the report could be accessed on the council’s website in line with statutory framework.

Members heard that the vast majority of complaints had been resolved by Council staff or the Customer Resolution and Information Team at an early stage, preventing the need for resource intensive formal complaint investigations and providing the customer with a timely response. Complaints that mostly related to financial matters had been dealt with more proactively in order to minimise the volume of stage 2 complaints.

It was explained that complaints over a perceived breach of confidentiality had been justified as being in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance, whereby the need to share such information had been a requirement in the circumstances of the case.

Members then heard that when reviewing effectiveness, it had been identified that the number of complaints received by children and young people continued to be low in comparison to the number of Looked After Children. It was explained that action taken following consultation with the Children in Care Council; including the provision of a freephone complaints number for children and links within the Right Side of Care website, had not resulted in a marked increase in the number of complaints received from Children and Young People. It was identified that there is a need to be more innovative and creative in involving children and that some work is being undertaken to introduce an advocacy service for those children subject to a Child Protection Plan.

It was further explained that the Customer Resolution and Information team are commissioning a new IT solution with the view to enable a wider range of representations to be recorded and reported on in order to enhance the information available to the department and assist with learning and development.

In response to questions raised by Members, the Corporate Safeguarding Manager advised that an advocacy service is currently being piloted in Wallasey and the project is taking a proactive approach. Members heard that all correspondence is responded to include any verbal or written material that could be considered to be a representation and that early intervention with complaints is working well. Members were then advised that at present there is no timescale for implementing a working protocol between Specialist Services and MST, however, any progress would be reported to a future meeting.

Following a query from Councillor Brighouse regarding comparison with neighbouring authorities, the Corporate Safegaurding Manager informed Members that he did not have this information to hand, however, he would ensure it is included in any future reports.

A recommendation was made for Members to include the Annual Complaints Report to their work programme for consideration ahead of publication.

Resolved -  That committee note the report.