Learn about your options, including how to make a complaint if you’re unhappy with the support your child gets, or a service you've received.
If you’re not happy about the support your child gets or about a service you have received, it's usually best to begin by talking to your provider. This is whoever provides the service.
For example, a service provider may be:
Raise your concern as soon as possible and speak with someone in charge, for example, a headteacher, manager, or key worker.
If you’re still unhappy after this, you can try mediation or advocacy support. This could help you to find a satisfactory solution quickly without needing to take things further.
Global Mediation provides free, independent SEND mediation and disagreement resolution services in some circumstances.
Sussex Advocacy Partnership provides free independent advocacy in Brighton & Hove.
If you're unhappy with a health service, the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) may be able to help.
You may also find it helpful to speak to an Amaze Sussex SENDIASS adviser. Amaze Sussex SENDIASS is an independent, confidential service. They are not an advocacy or mediation service, but do provide information, advice and support around SEND issues.
If you're still unhappy after speaking with your provider, possibly with mediation or advocacy support, you can make a complaint. You may also choose to make a complaint right away, without speaking to your provider first. This starts a formal process to try to resolve your concern.
If you want to make a complaint, ask the provider for their complaints policy or check their website. This should explain what your options are and what you can expect to happen.
The policy should also tell you if you need to make your complaint within a certain amount of time.
Get more information about making a complaint about:
We aim to deal with all complaints fairly and with sensitivity.
If you make a complaint about a council-run service but you're unhappy with the outcome, you can either:
The Ombudsman can only investigate if the issue can't be dealt with by the SEND Tribunal. You must go all the way through our complaints procedure before you can take your complaint to the SEND Tribunal or the Ombudsman.
There are strict time limits. For example, you must appeal to the SEND Tribunal within 2 months of an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan decision letter. Complaints must be brought to the Ombudsman within 12 months.
Some types of complaints can be brought to other bodies, for example, the Department for Education or Ofsted. Pages 246 to 247 of the SEND Code of Practice provide details about who can hear which complaints.
Amaze Sussex SENDIASS provides advice on making complaints.
IPSEA provides advice on making a complaint or challenging a decision.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman provides top tips for making a complaint.