Feedback and Complaints

You can get in touch with us if you have any feedback on our service or our fundraising, whether positive or negative. We are always keen to hear your feedback, thoughts and celebrate or share special moments.

How to raise a formal complaint

We hope that however you contact us, you find that we provide a high quality service.

However there may be a time when you wish to make a complaint about our services and this will be treated seriously and promptly. It is important for us to understand what people want, and that you feel listened to. All complaints are treated seriously – if you are a service user or family member, making a complaint will not affect any of the services you receive from us.

We believe that by listening we can develop, learn and change so thank you for getting involved.

Directing your complaint to the best person

Contact the person you have been dealing with or the Manager of the service to explain what the problem is. You can do this in person, via email (see table below), by phone or by writing a letter, or you can use our feedback form.

Senior Managers

Our commitment to you

• We will acknowledge your complaint within 4 working days.

• Your complaint will be investigated and you will receive a detailed response within 28 working days.

• If you need to make your complaint via alternative formats or translation services we will support you.

• Complaints about our services will be reported to whoever funds that service.

• Depending on the nature of the complaint staff members may be suspended while we investigate fully.

• If there are delays we will keep you informed.

• Where actions are identified from your complaint, we will carry these out quickly.

• We will review all complaints regularly and ensure we learn lessons to keep improving our services.

What if that doesn't solve the problem?

If you feel that our investigation has not resolved your issue you can request an appeal and our Chief Executive will review your complaint and provide you with a response within a further 28 days. If it is going to take longer we will let you know.

Still not satisfied with our response?

If you are a service user or family member you can take your complaint to the body that provides funding for the service. This is usually a care manager in your local authority Social Services department.

Escalating a complaint about the local authority

If you are dissatisfied with the way in which the local authority has responded, the Local Government Ombudsman investigates complaints in a fair and independent way. They can be contacted at:

Escalating a complaint about Acorns

Our Acorns overnight breaks service is regulated by Ofsted. They can be contacted at:

Escalating a complaint about Oaks

Our Oaks short break service and our Outreach service are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). They can be contacted at:

Escalating a complaint about our work as a charity

Complaints about our fundraising activities can be raised with the Fundraising Regulator. Please contact us if you need this information in an alternative format or language.

Request information in an alternative format or language

Please contact us if you need any of this information supplied to you in an alternative format or language.

Feedback form

You can provide feedback both positive and negative through our form below: