Confidentiality
Your social worker will have responsibility for collecting information about you and your family in order to plan services for you. Information about you can only be shared with professionals who have responsibility for your care and welfare, such as teachers, your doctor and the police.
Making a complaint
You have the right to make a complaint about any aspect of your care or treatment while you are in care. The first thing to do is to try to talk to a responsible adult about what is making you angry or upset. For example, you could talk to:
- Your foster carers or residential staff
- Your social worker
- Your conference and review manager
- Your teacher or doctor
They will try and sort out your complaint as quickly as possible. If they are unable to do so they will ask you to make a formal complaint which means that your complaint is written down and sent to the complaints officer and they will appoint someone to investigate your complaint.
The people listed above could also support you in making a complaint or you could contact NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) who are independent of children and young’s people's services.
NYAS
NYAS are a children’s charity who work with children and young people to ensure that their voice is heard in important decisions which affect their lives. Before making a complaint you could speak to an advocate to see if there is anything that can be done to resolve your issues without making a formal complaint. If you still wish to make a formal complaint, a NYAS Advocate can help you to write your complaint and will support you whilst this is being investigated.
Advocacy
Advocacy is a process which helps children and young people to speak up for themselves about important decisions which affects their life. An advocate can attend meetings including Looked After Children’s Reviews, Personal Education Plans and Child Protection Conferences to ensure that the wishes and feelings of young people are heard about important issues in their life. An Advocate will also provide you with information on their rights and entitlements. It is about representing children and young people’s views, wishes and feelings and needs and ultimately enables them to become decision makers.
If you think you need independent help please contact NYAS on freephone 0800 616 101
Independent Visitors Scheme
An Independent Visitor is there to befriend a young person and offer them consistency, support, advice and encouragement. The scheme contributes to the welfare of children in care by promoting their individual needs and interests.
NYAS supplies independent visitors to visit, advise and befriend young people who are looked after by the local authority.
To find more information about the scheme, please contact NYAS on 0800 616 101.
Contact us:
The conference and review unit
Tel: 01925 442079