Too often victims and survivors are let down by the agencies that should protect them. If you need to make a complaint about a service or public agency, you can find helpful information and guidance below.
Please note, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner cannot investigate or raise complaints directly with a service, agency or public body.
Police
If you’re dissatisfied with how the police handled your case, you can contact the police force directly involved via the complaints procedure outlined on their website.
You can also make a complaint about a police force via the Independent Office for Police Conduct which will be sent to the force in question for them to review.
Local authorities
If you’re unhappy with how a local authority has dealt with your situation, you first need to complain directly to the organisation and allow time for them to resolve it with you.
Following this, you can then register your complaint with the Local Government Ombudsman.
Courts and judges
If you would like to issue a complaint about how your case was handled by court staff (but not the decision in your case or investigate how a specific Judge, Magistrate or Bench acted towards you), follow this link.
If you would like to complain about the conduct of a specific Judge, Magistrate or Bench you can do so here.
If you would like to know more about the appeal process specific to your hearing there are a variety of steps you can take, dependent on the type of complaint and the type of court:
Magistrates Court: There are several ways in which you may challenge Magistrates’ decisions. The most appropriate method will depend upon the type of case and its circumstances. Before you lodge an appeal, you are strongly urged to seek legal advice as to the procedure, merit and cost.
Crown Court: For Crown and County Courts you can appeal both civil and criminal cases, but it would be necessary to seek permission or ‘leave’ from a judge before an appeal can be made against a conviction in a criminal case. For legal assistance, a solicitor should be contacted. Alternatively, you may prefer to contact a Citizen’s Advice Bureau where advice is generally provided free of charge.
Family Court: If you wish to appeal a decision specific to Family Court you can appeal via the same link as above.
Domestic abuse services
If you want to complain about the support you have received from a domestic abuse service, you will need to follow the complaints procedure outlined on the organisation’s website.
Schools
To make a complaint about how a school you will need to follow the complaints procedure outlined on the school’s website.
If the school is a special educational needs (SEN) school, they may ask you to raise the complaint with your local authority.
You can also register your complaint with Ofsted, who may then discuss the information you’ve provided at the schools next inspection. It is important to be aware that Ofsted only considers complaints about issues that affect the whole school, rather than individuals.
The Department for Education has advice for complaining about a private school.
If you have followed all the steps in the complaints procedure and believe it was not dealt with correctly, you can complain to the Department for Education.
GPs, hospitals and social care
You can make a complaint about any aspect of the NHS care, treatment or service you received, there is helpful information available here on how to complain about different services within the NHS and what the process involves.
If you wish to make a complaint about children’s social care, your local authority will have a procedure in place via their website.
Citizen’s Advice has guidance on making complaints to adult and child social services in Wales which you may also find useful.
Housing
If you are living in social housing, either provided through the council or by a housing association, you will first need to complain directly to the organisation involved.
If you are not happy with the response, you can then contact the Housing Ombudsman.
Shelter has lots of helpful advice and guidance for a range of housing issues available on their website. This includes a list of letter templates to help you write your complaints.
Child Maintenance Service
Citizen’s Advice has detailed advice on how to make a complaint about the Child Maintenance Service.