Social Care

Complaints Advocacy

On many occasions, individuals approach Advocacy Focus because they feel unfairly or poorly treated by Social Care providers that they have access to.

This service is designed to support anyone who feels they cannot initiate and complete a formal complaint alone.

We can support you through the Social Care complaints process. You also have the right to be listened to and treated with respect and dignity throughout the process.

Make a referral

Social Care Complaints

We can help our service users to make a complaint about their experience with:

Children and Adult Social Services
Social Service professionals, eg social workers
Social Service funded Care Homes

Advocacy Focus can help service users in many ways, even if it is just giving them the confidence to voice their concerns or by pointing them in the right direction of where to complain by using the self-help tools on our website.

Who can have help from an Independent Advocate?

Anyone can have the support of an Independent Advocate during a complaints process
A person can make a complaint on someone else’s behalf, either with their written permission, or in the case that they have passed away
A person can make a complaint on behalf of someone who lacks mental capacity, or on behalf of a child under 18 years old if they are unable to complain themselves.

How can we help?

Advocacy Focus can support our service users at any stage of the complaints process. We offer the following resources:

Before making a complaint

Self-Help Guide: In many cases, people do not need an advocate to help them with a complaint, but may benefit from accessing simple to understand information to make things easier. We have a downloadable self-help guide that includes information available about the complaints process, how to make a complaint and writing a complaints letter.

Making a complaint

Your advocate can:

Provide a confidential and independent service for you to discuss your complaint with
Explore the different stages of the complaints process with you
Help you to format and compose any letters you wish to send in relation to your complaint
Assist you to prepare for and attend any resolution meetings you are asked to attend
Assist you to escalate your complaint if you are not happy with any responses that you receive

It is important to understand that your advocate cannot advise or influence your decisions in any way and that they are there to provide you with information and the possible options, not their own opinions. Support can be accessed over the telephone, email or by a face-to-face meeting with an advocate at our drop in’s and can be provided at any stage of the complaints process.

Following the complaint

At Advocacy Focus, if a complaint is not resolved in a way that you are happy with, we can help you to take your complaint to an Ombudsman, in the hope that the appropriate regulatory body will hold them to account for their actions.

Get in Touch

To request a printed copy of the self-help complaints pack, and for further information about our supportive drop-in sessions please email admin@advocacyfocus.org.uk

Alternatively, you can speak to our friendly team on 0300 323 0965.

Download our Guide to Making a Social Care Complaint.

Make a referral

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