Make a complaint about children's social care (Local Offer)

Do you want to raise a complaint, give us some feedback, or maybe tell us about the great service you have received?

Our Social Care Feedback Team handles all complaints, concerns and compliments about the Children, Young People and Families Service (CYPFS).

How to complain

• Email: complaints.social.services@plymouth.gov.uk
• Telephone: 01752 307304 (leave a message and we'll call you back.)
• Write to us: Social Care Feedback Team, Ballard House, West Hoe Road, Plymouth, PL1 3BJ

What we need to know

When you contact us, we'll need the following information:

• the names of the children involved and their dates of birth
• your relationship to the child/children
• the name(s) of the staff members'
• examples of where things have gone wrong or right with the dates and times if possible and how this has affected you

What happens next?

When we have received all the information we need, we'll let you know and explain what will happen next. We aim to do this within 3 working days, but sometimes this can take a little longer.

If your problem hasn't been put right

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) is the independent final decision maker about local government and social care complaints. You have the right to approach them at any time.

You can phone the LGSCO on 0300 061 0614 or visit the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman website for information.

However, the Ombudsman would expect the Local Authority to consider the complaint first and may refer the complaint back to us if this has not already been done.

Advocacy support

If you are a child or care-experienced young person and you feel you would benefit from advocacy support to make your complaint, you can contact;

Avocados Advocacy

If you would like to talk to the Avocados Advocacy team about your situation, you can fill out a contact form online:

Barnardos Advocacy

If you would like to talk to the Barnardos Advocacy team about your situation, you can:

Plymouth's Local Offer is organised into four main categories covering the following age ranges:

• Early years (0 to 5 years old)
• Primary (5 to 11 years old)
• Secondary (11 to 18 years old)
• Preparing for adulthood

 Plymouth Local Offer homepage

Is the information correct?

Let us know if the information on this page is wrong and needs to be updated.