Family Rights Group | Kinship carers’ Forum

We made a complaint when they stopped children attending our home.

Here's the reply we got.

"Thank you for email regarding your wish to be kept informed about and to have contact with your grandson.

"Unfortunately I will not be able to consider this matter within the complaints procedure as your grandson’s case is progressing through legal proceedings and the court process takes precedence over the complaints process.

"You will need to take independent advice from a solicitor if you want to be a party to the proceedings and specifically to apply for a contact order..

I am sorry that I cannot be of more assistance at this time."


We have sent other emails where i used information from leaflets/advice sheets that Children Services were failing to promote contact (Children Act1989 ) and important human right to maintain family relationships ( European Convention Article 8. UN Rights of the Child) but ultimately, the conclusion in our opinion is the complaints system is a farce.


signed

disillusioned by the whole process

This is what our advice sheet 25 states about complaints made during care proceedings:

You can make a complaint whilst the court case is going on, but it is best to take legal advice before doing so as you don’t want run the risk that it could count against you in the case. However, Children’s Services may decide not to consider your complaint, if they think the same issues will be investigated and decided in the court case. If they do this, Children’s Services has to notify you of their decision in writing, with their reasons. You may be able to re-make the complaint when the court case is finished, but you would have to do so within one year of the court case finishing.

If you are able to bring the issue of your contact into the court case, then you could try to have it addressed there.