“I think Janice was unfair, not letting me stay up to see the end of the Man. U.
Game”, Dwain grumbled, as he ate his breakfast.

“Make a complaint then”, suggested Stan.

“What good will that do?” asked Gary.

“If Dwain thinks he was treated unfairly and was not happy with the reasons given when he was asked to go to bed, he can record it in the complaints book and Sarah, our manager, has to look into it and give Dwain an answer”, replied Stan.

“I didn’t know that you could complain about things”, said Gary enthusiastically.
“I will complain about my pocket money being so little and about my bedroom being so far away from the toilet and about…”

“Hang on, Gary”, interrupted Stan, “just what do you think about what a complaint is?”

“It’s saying you don’t like something and you want things changed”, answered Gary perkily.

“Wrong,” replied Stan. “If I say I don’t like the taste of strawberry jam, is that a complaint?”

“Course not; you don’t have to eat strawberry jam. That’s your choice”, said Dwain.

“But Gary said if you don’t like something, it’s a complaint, so that makes my not liking this jam a complaint, right?” argued Stan.

“No, of course that’s not grounds for a complaint,” agreed Abdul, “but if the only jam you ever put out at breakfast and tea time was strawberry, I could ask if we could have some other choice, and if it was refused, then I could make a complaint.”

“Right as ever Abdul,” conceded Stan.

“So what about my pocket money then,” persisted Gary, “why can’t I complain about that?”

“How old are you, Gary?” asked Stan.

“12, but what’s that got to do with it?”

“Because there is a set amount laid down for pocket money for all young people your age, and an amount for each young person depending on age, and you get the amount laid down, Gary”.

“But I don’t think it’s enough.”

“But it’s not our money that we give you and we are not allowed to give you any more. The amount is laid down by the Local Council, so it’s no good complaining to us”.

“OK, but I could complain to the Council, right?”

“Yes, you could, Gary, but my point is that complaints are meant to be about any unfair, upsetting or harsh treatment by the staff, other young people or other adults or children you have dealings with not living in our home”.

“This sounds like you need to go to law school to know when to make a complaint”, said Abdul.

“Yes, it does, doesn’t it”, observed Karin, who had just joined the group sitting around the breakfast table.

“I think the safest rule is you complain about whatever you like, and Sarah will tell you if she thinks it’s not a proper complaint. But if you are not satisfied with her answer you can say you want it left in the book”.

“Coo, why didn’t you come in earlier? It would have saved all this chat”, said Gary.

“What about if you want to complain about Sarah? She’s the manager so does that mean we can’t complain about her?” asked Dwain.

“If it’s some small matter, you can complain to her, and if you are happy with the answer, that’s that,” replied Stan.

“But if I am not happy or its something serious, like she is making us all go to bed at 5 o’clock every night and making us eat strawberry jam, what then?” persisted Dwain.

“Then you would have to contact someone outside the home, such as the County Complaints Officer or your social worker”, replied Karin. “ You should all have the address and phone number in your Young Person’s Handbook”.

“You could also ring the free phone Childline phone number on display in your phone room if you thought you were being treated cruelly or abusively,” Stan pointed out.

“There are always engaged,” said Gary, “or they were when I tried to ring after my Mum’s boyfriend used to bash me up”.

“Well, not always, Gary, but they can be very busy. You may have to try a few times or ring your social worker or something”, suggested Abdul.

“I got a complaint!” said Stan.

“What’s that? - bad breath?” laughed Dwain.

“No, you cheeky devil,” replied Stan,"it’s that you lot have all gassed on so long you are not going to have time to clear away and do the dishes, so I’ll have to do them. Go on, then, off you all go”.

With a cheer, the three young people left the room to pick up the their school bags and set off to school for further education.