Consultation
We welcome and encourage both positive and negative feedback as it tells us how we are doing.

How the 14-19 Team consults with Customer Schools.
Formal consultation is achieved by means of an annual survey conducted at the end of each school year.  This asks for schools' views about the service we offer and about the training providers we contract with.
Section Officers listen to school representatives less formally at two series of meetings - VSP Schools Liaison and Curriculum Managers - and by other, unplanned, contacts by telephone, email or face-to-face.

How the 14-19 Team consults with Contracted Training Providers.
Formal consultation is achieved by means of an annual survey conducted at the end of each school year.  This asks for training provider’s ' views about the systems we operate within the Vocational Skills Programme. 
Section Officers listen to training provider representatives less formally at a series of meetings - VSP Supplier Support – Also by contract compliance and quality monitoring visits and by other, unplanned, contacts by telephone, email or face-to-face.

How the 14-19 Team consults with Young People.
Formal consultation is achieved by means of a questionnaire conducted at the end of each term.  This asks for student’s views about their experience whilst on off site provision. Section Officers talk informally to students during contracting and quality monitoring visits.

Feedback Received

From feedback received this year (2007) we received 14 informal complaints relating to 3 systems as a result we are:

• revising the referral process to streamline this in readiness for block referrals for the next academic year.
• revising the systems and timescales relating to the tender and contracting process
• continuing to meet regularly with schools to improve quality of information provided

We received feedback from 12 contracted training providers complimenting the relationship with both the 14-19 Team and Extended Curriculum Team and the levels of communication and support received.

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Lifelong Learning and Skills Service

Complaints  and Feedback Procedure
If you wish to make a comment or complaint about any aspect of our service, please read the notes below.
If you want to put your comment or complaint in writing, you can do so by filling in an on line form at
https://www.sheffield.gov.uk
or by completing one of the forms, available from our training centres or the address below.
Please send the completed form to:

Jill Horsman
Lifelong Learning and Skills Service
145 Crookesmoor Road
Sheffield
S6 3FP

Telephone 0114 2667503                         Fax            0114 2667092

Email jill.horsman@sheffield.gov.uk or
firstpoint@sheffield.gov.uk

Our Standards 
We want to be efficient and fair in the services we provide.  We  welcome and value comments, complaints and suggestions about how we run our services.  Please help us to improve our services by giving your feedback.
Please tell us if:

1. you feel that you have received a good service from us or there is one particular part of a service that you like
2. you would like to suggest ways in which we can improve our service
3. you are particularly unhappy with the way a member of staff helped you, or with a service you received
4. you feel you have been treated unfairly or discriminated against
5. you feel unhappy about the quality of a service you have received, or the way you received it
6. you did not receive a service which you feel you should have

If you give us feedback on our service, we will try to provide you with a response within 7 days

If we cannot do that we will send you an acknowledgement letter within 7 days. 

In the majority of cases we will provide you with a full response within 28 days.

If your feedback is about a complex matter, or needs an in-depth investigation, the full response may not be a complete and final answer. If so, we will let you know when we will give you a full response.

Any letter we send you will say who is dealing with your comment or complaint and how to contact them.

How to make a give us your feedback

Talk to us

We aim to help all those who wish to make a comment or complaint at the point where that service is provided.

Please talk to the person who has provided you with the service, as they may be able to help you there and then.  You can talk to us either in person or via the telephone.

If you are not satisfied with the answer you receive then, or your comment or complaint is complicated, you may wish to talk to a more senior member of staff.

If a senior member of staff is not available, we can take your contact details and that person will contact you as soon as they can.

Write to us

You can give us feedback in writing at any time.  To do this please fill in a form and send it to us. Forms are available from our training centres, on the Sheffield City Council website or from the address above.

Email to us

You may give us your feedback by email to:

Email jill.horsman@sheffield.gov.uk or firstpoint@sheffield.gov.uk

 Can someone help me?

Feedback can be made by either yourself or someone acting on your behalf.  If you need help in completing the attached form, a member of staff will assist you.

 What if I'm still not happy?

If you are not happy with the full response you receive, you can ask for your comment or complaint to be looked at again.  This will be by a senior member of staff.

What if I don't want to give my name?

You may wish to make your comment or complaint anonymously.  If you did this we will treat that comment or complaint as seriously as any other.

If I have a complaint, can I have it looked at by someone independent?

You can complain to the Local Government Ombudsman. Their address is shown below.

They only investigate certain types of complaint. The Council must have investigated the complaint first.

Complaints for the Local Government Ombudsman should be directed to:
Mrs P A Thomas
Local Government Ombudsman
Beverley House
17 Shipton Road York YO30 5FZ

Telephone: 01904 380200
Fax: 01904 380269
E-mail: enquiries.york@lgo.org.uk