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Children, families and education

Other contacts and information

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

The Ombudsman is the final stage for complaints about councils, all adult social care providers (including care homes and home care agencies) and some other organisations providing local public services. This is a free service. They investigate complaints in a fair and independent way and they do not take sides.

  • Telephone : 0300 061 0614

Hospitals and NHS

Patient Advice and Liaison Service

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) offers confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters. They provide a point of contact for patients, their families and their carers. You can find officers from PALS  in your local hospital. If you're not happy with an NHS service, you should complain to the person or organisation providing the service first (for example, the GP, dentist, hospital or pharmacist). Alternatively, you can complain to the commissioner of that service either NHS England or the area clinical commissioning group (CCG).

Find your local PALS Team.

Advocacy

Barnardo's

Barnardo's – Advocacy for Children and Young People
Whilst the complaints team will help you to make a complaint, we also have an independent advocacy provider with knowledge and experience in supporting children and young people.

You can contact Barnardo's for advice and support as follows :

• Freephone : 0800 085 8287
• Telephone : 0208 768 5058
• email : advocacy2@barnardos.org.uk

Speakerbox

SpeakerBox is a forum for Southwark children and young people in care and care leavers up to the age of 21 (or 25 if they are in full time education). They also include children who are privately fostered and children and young people who are from other local authorities but placed in Southwark. Young people meet with their peers, talk about their experience of being in care and inform council practice. They run several different activities including supporting young people in raising complaints with the council.

You can contact Speakerbox the following ways:

Childline

Childline is a free 24 hour counselling service for children and young people up to their 19th birthday in the UK provided by the NSPCC.

Contact Childline on:

  • freephone: 0800 11 11

You can also contact the Southwark Information and Advice team (SIAS) on 020 7525 3104 or email sias@southwark.gov.uk for additional advice on SEND.

Page last updated: 08 July 2024

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