Local authorities have procedures to deal with complaints from children and young people, or from people complaining on their behalf, such as parents and guardians. You may find information on making a complaint about services you have received helpful.

Complaints about children’s services normally need to be made within 12 months, but the local authority can consider complaints made later than this. If it decides not to deal with the complaint, it should tell you why.

The complaints process should take into account the concerns of the child or young person involved and should be appropriate for their age and level of understanding.

If the child or young person wants to make a complaint themselves, the local authority should provide information about advocacy services and help them access these.

As with adult complaints, you should address your complaint to the manager of the service you are complaining about at first. Local authorities aim to have your complaint resolved at the local level within 10 working days, although this can be extended.

You may also find Cerebra’s Problem-Solving Toolkit for Families useful.

If you’re not happy with the local authority’s decision regarding your complaint, you can get help from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

The Local Government Ombudsman focuses on complaints about special educational needs/disability framework processes (eg where timescales have not been followed or stated provision has not been provided). The law generally prevents this service from investigating complaints which can be addressed by appeal to the statutory first-tier (special educational needs and disability) tribunal.