Complaints

The Sunderland Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP) has a role in co-ordinating and ensuring the effectiveness of local individuals' and organisations' work to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It is not accountable for their operational work.

Any complaints about the operational work of any of our partners should be directed through their own complaints’ procedures, to ensure it is dealt with efficiently and effectively.

To make a complaint about a function* of the SSCP, or about the conduct, outcome or decision of a child protection conference^, please contact the SSCP Business Unit who will ensure concerns are given due consideration.

It’s important to note that this complaints process cannot itself change a Child Protection Conference decision.

* For further information on the objectives and functions of safeguarding partnerships visit Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023

^ Parents/carers and children (if of sufficient age and understanding) have a right to complain about the process/conduct of child protection conferences or appeal against a conference decision based on relevant criteria on which decisions have been made not having been met, or information on which the conference decision has been made, being proved to be substantially incorrect. The Complaints in relation to child protection conference procedure has more detailed information about this complaints process and how it will be managed.