Your Rights

Your Rights

• You have a right to be involved in all decision about your plans for leaving care.
• You have a right to challenge decisions about the support we give you.
• You have the right to see the information we keep about you including the files and records written about you in care. You can do this by asking your Personal Adviser or emailing the request to childrenincareadmin@westberks.gov.uk.

Children's Services will acknowledge your request in writing within 10 days. We are allowed to take 40 working days to get your file ready for you to read. We will contact you and arrange a time for you to come and see your file and go through it with a worker, you will be provided with copy if you wish. You can also ask for a copy of the file to be sent to you if you do not want to meet a worker.

Advocacy

An advocate helps and supports you and to make sure you are involved in all decisions about your life.

• They make sure you understand what workers say and help you say what you want to say.
• They tell you about your rights and the things that you should get from services, workers, carers or where you are living.
• If you are not happy about how you are treated, they can help you sort out any problems or concerns.
• They can go to meetings with you or speak to others about what you want and feel.

Please speak to your personal advisor if you fell you need the support of an advocate.

You can also get in touch with the advocacy helpline by email on help@coramvoice.org.uk. You will receive a response within 24 hours

Complaints

We want to get things right for the children and young people who receive care and services from West Berkshire Council. We do understand that things can sometimes go wrong, you have a right to complain, and we will listen to what you have to say and try to put it right.

If you are not happy about a decision or the support you are receiving you should speak with your personal advisor in the first instance, if you remain unhappy you can then speak to the manager of the Leaving Care Team on 01635 503115.

If you are still not happy then you can request to speak to the complaint manager, please use the link below for details.

Children and Family Services Complaints - West Berkshire Council

Or

You can email us at ccsc@westberks.gov.uk, or call us on 01635 503 528