More than 100 compliments about Calderdale Council's children's care services - and just a handful of complaints recorded in 2021/22

The authority received just four complaints – and three more were made to the Local Government Ombudsman – but received more than 100 compliments, a meeting of the council’s Children and Young People’s Services was told.

Councillors were appreciative of the compliments figures, and the low number of complaints, but were not totally convinced the latter told the whole story.

Board chair Coun Ashley Evans (Lib Dem, Warley) said: “Only getting four complaints is very positive, but are we missing something?”

Coun Helen Rivron (Lab, Ovenden) said she had more related complaints in the last few weeks and given the complexity of the services receiving complaints was not actually a bad thing.

Councillors heard the complaints were those which went through the formal process, whereas many issues raised were dealt with at an earlier stage without having to go as far as the council’s Complaints and Compliments team.

In all, 109 representations were received for Children’s Social Care Services between April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022.

Just four were complaints requiring investigation and response and all have been resolved with two partially upheld, one not upheld and one withdrawn, councillors heard.

The complaints related to early help, two regarding looked-after children and one regarding a looked-after child and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services.

There were also three complaints received by the Local Government Ombudsman, all regarding SEND services with one on funding levels for a placement now under investigation, one on the time taken to arrange a placement also under investigation and one complaining about SEND team decisions and an education, health and care plan, closed as it was deemed premature.

Complaints were greatly outnumbered by compliments with 109 instances – more than double the 44 received in 2020-21 – of positive feedback ranging from thanks for help given to a care home to West Yorkshire Police appreciating work helping steer a young person away from an interest extremism.

Director of Children and Young People’s Services, Julie Jenkins, said nevertheless staff training had improved and the aim was to resolve problems quickly.