Complaints procedure

How you can complain about the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM). You cannot complain about an IRM panel review鈥檚 recommendation, or a fostering service provider鈥檚 or adoption agency鈥檚 decision.

Who can complain

Use this complaints procedure if you鈥檙e:

  • an applicant
  • a fostering service provider
  • an adoption agency

What you can complain about

You can only use this complaints procedure to complain about:

  • IRM鈥檚 level of service
  • the review panel鈥檚 behaviour
  • a caseworker鈥檚 behaviour

What we cannot help you with

You cannot complain to us about the:

  • fostering service provider or adoption agency鈥檚 final decision - the IRM鈥檚 role is to review the recommendation made by the fostering service provider or adoption agency, but the final decision rests with that body and it is not obliged to accept the IRM鈥檚 recommendation
  • IRM review panel鈥檚 recommendation or the grounds on which this is reached - this includes the minutes of the panel, unless there is a clear factual error such as the name or role of a person

We may stop responding to you if you:

  • keep on contacting us after we鈥檝e closed your complaint
  • use abusive or threatening language or are unreasonable

How you can complain

  1. Contact us as soon as possible - most complaints can be resolved informally.

  2. If we cannot deal with your complaint informally, write to or email the IRM contract manager and tell us what your complaint is about and the outcome you鈥檙e seeking in order to resolve your complaint (stage 1 complaint).

  3. You鈥檒l receive a written response from the contract manager, usually within 7 days.

  4. If you鈥檙e unhappy with the outcome, write back or email the contract manager, explaining why and how you鈥檇 like us to resolve your complaint.

  5. The service manager of the IRM will contact you and conduct an investigation into your complaint (stage 2 complaint).

  6. You鈥檒l receive a written response letting you know the outcome, usually within 14 days (we鈥檒l tell you if we think it will take longer).

  7. If you鈥檙e unhappy with the stage 2 outcome, you can complain to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

Contact details

Independent Review Mechanism
PO Box 572
Leeds
LS7 9FH

贰尘补颈濒听[email protected]

Call 0113 202 2080

Lines are open from 9:30am to 12:30pm, Monday to Friday. Where possible, consider contacting us by email.

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
London
SW1P 4QP

贰尘补颈濒听[email protected]

Call 0345 015 4033

Lines are open from Monday to Thursday from 8:30am to 5pm and on Friday from 8:30am to 12pm, except on bank holidays.

Complain about the contract manager

If you want to complain about the contract manager, send an email to [email protected] for the attention of the service manager.

As complaints about the contract manager will be dealt with by the service manager, they will go direct to stage 2.

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