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11) Getting Help in Residential Care Homes and Day Centres
Residential Care Homes
All residential care homes are legally obliged to have a complaints procedure and to give you information about how to use it when you move in. The complaints procedure should cover complaints about other residents as well as complaints against members of staff.
If you have friends within the home, or have a good relationship with a member of staff that you trust, ask them for their support in using the complaints procedure. They may also have seen you being abused and be able to give evidence to support your complaint.
If your abuser is abusing other people as well, try to make a complaint together. There may be regular residents’ meetings where you can talk about this if your abuser is not present.
There may also be regular visitors to the home, such as community service volunteers or health workers, whom you can trust to help.
If you are in contact with friends or family members outside the home, ask them to help to make sure that your complaint is dealt with and that you are safe. If you are unable to communicate with them privately; just say that you would like a visit from them.
If you cannot get any support from friends or family or within the home, ask for your GP or social worker to visit you. You do not have to tell anyone the reason if you are unable to communicate privately; you can just say that you have concerns about your health or your general support. Ask for somewhere to talk privately if you do not have a room of your own.
If you do not get satisfaction from the complaints procedure, or are afraid to use it, the National Care Standards Commission is responsible for regulating residential care homes and investigating complaints against them. Contact them directly at St Nicholas Building, St Nicholas Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1NB. Tel: 0191 233 3600. Fax: 0191 233 3569. Email: enquiries@ncsc.gsi.gov.uk Website:www.carestandards.org.uk
If you want to stay in the home, your abuser should be moved out of it unless you are happy that you will be safe and free from further abuse if they remain. But if you wish to move, your choice should be respected and you should be helped to do this.
Day Centres
Day Centres are operated by social services departments and voluntary organisations and should also have a complaints procedure. If your abuser is abusing other people as well, try to make a complaint together. There may be regular users’ meetings where you can talk about this if your abuser is not present.
If your complaint is not dealt with, or you are afraid to use the complaints procedure, contact your social services department directly. Read the other leaflets in this pack for details of how to get support and helpful organisations.
Next: Getting Help in Psychiatric Units