The Social Services Complaints procedure is long. Intended to make it appear as clinically efficient as the public perception would like it to be, but again, appearances are deceptive! All Social Services are required to provide a written complaints procedure, detailing the steps you can take, ask for a copy of it, at this stage do not let them know why. Note my advice at the end regarding the DATA Protection Act.

1) Write all complaints down and send them(it) to the Official complaints Officer for your local area Social Services. Do not just fill in the little form, unless you make a copy of it before sending it in, a full and descriptive letter works much better.

2) The Social Services officer should write back to you, explaining what is being done to address your complaint, within a prescribed period. If they ask you to meet anyone from the department concerned to discuss it, again take a friend and take notes, to be undersigned by the Social Services officer you see.

3) If you do not agree with the outcome of this initial step, you now take your complaint to the next level, stage 2. This involves the request from the Social Services to an Independent complaint officer to investigate your complaint. They will make an appointment to see you anywhere you choose and discuss what your complaint is and how you would like to see it resolved.

4) The independent officer will within a proscribed period see all the people involved with your complaint and will either uphold or not uphold your complaint. He will go on to make recommendations should he feel that there is a need for things to be done in a better way.

5) If you still feel that your complaint has not been dealt with correctly or you feel he is wrong, you can take your complaint to level 3.

6) Level 3 is the highest local procedure. All you do is write a letter in response to the investigation officers report in stage 2, pointing out you require a review panel to look at your complaint.

7) The level 3 complaint is made up of three people, semi-independent and includes a councillor, the decision they reach, is not yet the last avenue.

8) Should you still be in there fighting for your pound of flesh, the area ombudsman will look at it, followed by your Parliamentary ombudsman and of course we have the SSI, which I will turn to later.

All the above steps have degrees of success. I will go through the various holes in the fabric to try to hold the net together for you.

The return letter from the first complaint will have statements like "I have informed the various parties involved" parties?
" I have addressed with the various parties" addressed?
" I regret you feel your involvement with the department to have been a negative experience" regret?
" I have discussed with Mr. Stupid" discussed?

The list is of course endless, but I think you understand, I called it FOG! Whitewash is an understatement. It means you have been given the time it takes to write the letter, it was probably one written to Mr. Carbuncle last week, with the names changed.

Unless you really feel they will/have taken your complaint on board, take it to the next level, stage 2, that wakes them up!

Nothing makes the SS more upset than pointing out you wish to see the CV of the so-called independent officer, which you are entitled to request. Not much independence if he /she is paid by the government, but at least you can ensure he /she is not linked to the SSD.

If any of your complaints are not upheld by the independent officer, you have a choice, take it to level 3 or quit. Simple as that, should the professional have done his/her job and you feel the recommendations will help with your problem leave it at that, but if you still feel aggrieved go for the other levels until you feel happy.

One final note, if you are feeling very upset with the way you have been treated by the system, only put one or two complaints at a time in, taking each one as high as you wish will make you feel so much better. It may make the Social Services more attentive in the future too. The costs involved may also mean the SSI may just start understanding that the paperwork may look great, but the reality of the situation is a bag of dung!

The other point to make regarding any fight back against the insidious power of the Social Services is the DATA Protection Act, on my link page are several government sites regarding this act. After a period of six months to a year, demand your Data file, all of it including written notes, assessments and any discussions regarding you, that the Social Services have had between themselves. The only thing they can ask for is ten pounds to do it.

You can demand a copy of the full file to be handed to you, without giving any reason and no you do not wish to view it with them! If you do that, they will then know why! Take it away and pick over it along with any papers/reports you have already had from them and, you guessed it, complain if they do not match, take anything seriously wrong or well out of order to your solicitor.

If no one complains the ministers in power believe everything is as they are being led to think, it is more efficiency the Social Services require not resources. If the Social Services did the job properly in the first place, targeting people who really need help and leaving people who just need a little space alone. The budget would work.