15. What to do if you are concerned with the quality of a service, the support in place, or if you want to make a formal complaint

If you identify any of the following from the questions you ask to the organisation as part of your checks, you may decide not to use their services:

• staff have not had disclosure checks
• there are no policies for child protection or health and safety
• the organisation is unable to name a designated safeguarding lead
• the level of safeguarding training is not acceptable
• there has been no mention of insurance or risk assessments being in place
• the environment is not safe: no fire escape, plan or fire evacuation signage
• there is no designated first aider or first aid kit available
• there is no parental consent form or GDPR data protection statement
• the organisation is not affiliated to a wider organisation/umbrella/governing body and you feel it should be.

If you are not happy with the service you have received, please contact the provider directly and ask for the organisation's complaints/safeguarding policy or process.

Please make us aware of any safeguarding complaints or concerns that you have with organisations we signpost to by emailing [email protected]. If any concerns about a service are reported to us, we will stop signposting to that organisation until we are confident that it is appropriate to continue.

If you have concerns about a service in contact with or providing information about children and young people, please call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, please call the police on 999.