Referral Information

Complaints and Compliments

We believe that complaints and compliments are a valuable indicator and an opportunity to improve the quality of care at Sequel Support. We welcome comments and compliments about all aspects of care we provide and seek to share these with the children, parents/carers and other professionals. It is very important to us to seek the feedback from the young people around the quality of care they are receiving. At Sequel Support we have comments, compliments and complaints slips as well as suggestion forms for the young people to complete. House meetings, keyworking and independent visits are all other forms of gaining valuable feedback from the children, as well as day to day conversations about what they do and don’t like.

Our complaints procedure is available on request from any of the staff team at Sequel Support. We encourage children to instigate the complaints procedure whenever they feel that this is necessary and staff will actively encourage this through effective keyworking and day to day support.

At Sequel Support we recognise that not all children may not be able to be express this verbally, therefore, staff are alert to other indicators that suggest children are unhappy about something or someone. Often this can be communicated through behaviours, incidents or refusals. This will be identifiable by knowing the child and having detailed support plans, positive behavioural support plans and risk assessments.

A complaint by a children can be made to a staff member, the manager, their social worker, the Responsible individual, Advocate or externally to Ofsted or charities such as Childline. Within the home children have access to a phone if they need to make private calls. We also have PEC’s and widget social stories to help children understand how they can complain.

Complaints from families or relevant adults in a child’s life will also be subject to the same processes.

Stage 1

Complaint made to Registered manager or any member of staff, response to this complaint will be within 24 hours. If possible, the complaint will be sorted out quickly, but sometimes we may need a little longer to investigate the matter. We hope that this stage will be used as an informal/problem resolution to the complaint made.

Stage 2

If they are happy with how we have dealt with the initial complaint and the response, then they can ask the Responsible Individual to review the complaint. They can do this by telephone and/or in writing. The RI will aim to respond within ten working days, but if this is not possible, they will let them know the reason why and say when they can expect to hear from them.

Stage 3

If they are still unhappy with the response and or handling in stage 2 then they can request a Company Director to review the complaints process, handling and outcome from stage 2. This can be requested by telephone and/or in writing and the complainant should expect to hear within 28 days.

Children can also contact any of the following:

Childline: 0800 1111

Who Cares: 0500 564570

Ofsted: 0300 123 4666

To encourage high standards and expectations in an environment of transparency and accountability Sequel Support has a system whereby team members can bring to notice issues they feel are poor practice. The Registered Manager, on receiving a compliment, comment, concern or complaint, will take such action as is necessary. This may require referral to the Disciplinary Procedure. There are also a range of supportive systems for ensuring any poor practice is corrected. Should team members feel unable to discuss the matter, then they may choose to use our ‘Whistleblowing Policy’ which ensures confidentiality whilst providing the opportunity to raise a work practice concern.