The Children’s Homes (Wales) Regulations 2002

Representations and complaints

24.—(1) The registered person shall prepare and follow a written procedure for considering representations and complaints made by or on behalf of children accommodated in the home.

(2) The procedure shall, in particular, provide—

(a) for an opportunity for informal resolution of the representation or complaint at an early stage;

(b) that no person who is the subject of a complaint is involved in any part of its consideration other than, if in the reasonable opinion of the registered person it is appropriate, at the informal resolution stage only;

(c) for dealing with complaints about the registered person;

(d) for representations and complaints to be made, and for the other aspects of the procedure to be performed, by a person acting on behalf of a child;

(e) for arrangements for the procedure to be made known to—

(i) children accommodated in the home;

(ii) their parents;

(iii) placing authorities; and

(iv) persons working in the home.

(3) A copy of the procedure shall be supplied on request to any of the persons mentioned in paragraph (2)(e).

(4) The copy of the procedure supplied under paragraph (3) shall include—

(a) the name, address and telephone number of the appropriate office of the National Assembly; and

(b) details of the procedure (if any) which has been notified to the registered person by the National Assembly for the making of complaints to it relating to children’s homes.

(5) The registered person shall ensure that a written record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of the investigation.

(6) The registered person shall ensure that—

(a) children accommodated in the home are enabled to make a complaint or representation; and

(b) no child is subject to any detriment for making a complaint or representation.

(7) The registered person shall supply to the appropriate office of the National Assembly at its request a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action taken in response.

(8) This regulation (apart from paragraph (6)) does not apply to any representation to which the Representations Procedure (Children) Regulations 1991(1) applies.

(1)

See the footnote to regulation 15(2)(d).