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Social Services

Introduction

We hope that the services we provide are of a quality and type that you expect. However, if this is not the case, please let us know so that we can improve our service in the future.

If you want to make a complaint, this information will help you. If you have appreciated our services, you can write to tell us that too. Compliments and complaints provide us with valuable information about what we are doing well and how we can improve.

If your compliment or complaint is about services for children then please use the above link to take you to the relevant page.

Talk it over first

If you have a concern, the first thing we would suggest is that you discuss this with someone you can trust. This can be your social care worker, home care worker or any member of the Council's staff. This is often the best way to resolve things quickly. If however, you would like your concerns to be treated more formally as a complaint, please see the information below.

If you receive a service or you are acting on behalf of someone receiving a service, you can make a complaint:

• If you feel the quality of service you receive is poor
• If you do not agree with a decision that affects you or someone you care for
• If you have not received a service that you feel you should have.

How to make your complaint

You will need to contact the Compliments and Complaints Unit. You can do this in a number of ways:

• Fill in the Complaints and Compliments [PDF file 67KB]| form and post it to the Freepost address
• Send us your feedback online: Complaints and compliments form
• Email your complaint to us at socialservices.complaints@calderdale.gov.uk
• Call into the office in person - the Compliments and Complaints Unit is based at 1 Park Road, Halifax, HX1 2TU.
• Telephone us on 01422 393882 or 01422 393883
• Write a letter to us.

The process

We will reply to you within three working days to say that we have received your complaint. We will appoint a person to investigate your complaint, and they will contact you directly to:

• clarify the details of your complaint
• find out the best way to resolve the issue
• agree what the investigation will involve and how long this may take.

The investigation will usually be undertaken by a senior manager responsible for providing the service. This could be a Council service or a service provided by another organisation on behalf of the Council. Following the investigation they will write to you directly with the outcome.

Sometimes we may need to appoint an independent investigator. At the end of their investigation they will provide a report for the Head of Service involved who will write to you directly with the outcome.

We will try hard to resolve your complaint. However, if you are unhappy with our response you could ask the Local Government Ombudsman to consider your complaint further by contacting the LGO Advice Team on 0845 602 1983.

We want to make sure that you are satisfied with the way we deal with your complaint. After your complaint has been investigated, we would be grateful if you could take the time to complete our Complaints Procedure Questionnaire [PDF file 34KB]|.

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