Complaints about the Agency
Positive Aspirations Group welcomes feedback—praise, suggestions and complaints alike—because it helps us learn and improve. Our Compliance Policy requires every concern to be logged, tracked and analysed so themes feed directly into service-improvement plans.
Guiding principles
- Accessible: information on how to complain is in the Children’s and Young People’s Guides and on our website.
- Proportionate: we encourage informal resolution first, but anyone may invoke the formal procedure at any stage.
- Timely: we work to the 14 / 28 / 28-day time-scales set out below.
- Fair & trauma-informed: language is respectful; complainants are kept updated; nobody is penalised for raising concerns.
- Transparent: outcomes (while respecting confidentiality) are shared with the complainant, relevant local authority, Ofsted and the Agency Panel.
What a complaint is not
Allegations of abuse follow the Safeguarding pathway (LADO, police, Ofsted) and are covered in the Allegations & Complaints against Foster Carers Policy, not here.
The three-stage process
| Stage | Who investigates | Target time | What you can expect |
| 1 – Local resolution | Registered Manager (or a director if the Registered Manager is the subject) | 14 days | Call/email the Registered Manager; receive an acknowledgement within 2 working days, an investigation, and a written outcome. If the Responsible Individual, Registered Manager or a director is complained about, HR will appoint a senior, non-conflicted manager and inform the LADO & Ofsted. |
| 2 – Independent investigation | An independent social worker appointed by the agency | 28 days | Used if the complainant remains unhappy or asks to skip Stage 1. The investigator’s report and the agency director’s decision letter set out findings and any service-improvement actions. Complainants may choose instead to use the placing/local authority’s own complaints procedure. |
| 3 – Formal hearing | Positive Aspirations Fostering Panel | 28 days from request | Panel considers the complaint file, hears from the complainant (who may bring a supporter), and makes recommendations to the Agency Decision Maker. All parties—including Ofsted and the relevant local authority—receive the panel’s findings. |
At any point a complainant may contact Ofsted directly (0300 123 1231, enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk).
Independent Review Mechanism (IRM)
If a complaint relates to the Panel’s recommendation to de-register a foster carer or change approval terms, the carer has the right to ask the Secretary of State for an independent review via the IRM. Full details are in the IRM section of this handbook.
Record-keeping & data protection
- Every complaint is logged on the central register overseen by the Registered Manager.
- Confidential files are retained in line with the Recording Policy and GDPR. When a “founded” complaint is removed from a carer’s local file—for example at their request—it is stored in a secure agency complaint archive to preserve the chronology.
- Anonymised complaint statistics are reviewed quarterly by the Quality-Assurance Group.
Escalation & whistle-blowing
If at any point a complaint suggests serious safeguarding or professional-misconduct concerns, staff must switch to the Safeguarding or Whistle-blowing procedures without delay.
Need help to complain?
Children and young people can use the freephone number, QR-code link or emoji “worry card” in their guide. Adults may ask any staff member for a copy of the full Complaints Procedure or for practical help setting out their concerns in writing.
Bottom line: We want to hear what isn’t working. Speak up early—informally if you can, formally if you need to—and we will listen, investigate and learn.
