Complaints & feedback

Our complaints procedure

We take all feedback seriously. If something has gone wrong, we want to know so we can put it right. This page explains how to raise a concern and what to expect from us.

🛡️
If your complaint involves a concern about the welfare or safeguarding of a child, do not wait — contact the Vayacare designated safeguarding lead directly on 07700 900 142, or call your local authority children's services team. Safeguarding concerns are treated as a separate, urgent process and are not subject to the complaint stage timelines above.

The three-stage process

Stage 1
Informal resolution
Target: 5 working days

Contact our operations team directly. Most concerns are resolved at this stage through a conversation.

How to raise

Call 0800 123 4567 or email ops@vayacare.co.uk. Describe what happened and what outcome you are looking for.

What to expect

Written acknowledgement within 24 hours. Resolution within 5 working days.

Stage 2
Formal complaint
Target: 10 working days

If you are not satisfied with Stage 1, submit a formal written complaint. This is investigated by our operations director.

How to raise

Email complaints@vayacare.co.uk with your name, the date of the issue, a description, and the outcome you are seeking. Reference your Stage 1 case number if you have one.

What to expect

Written acknowledgement within 2 working days. Full written response within 10 working days.

Stage 3
Independent review
Target: 20 working days

If you remain unsatisfied after Stage 2, you may request an independent review. For complaints relating to local authority-commissioned transport, you may also escalate to the commissioning LA.

How to raise

Write to the Managing Director at Vayacare Ltd, [address]. Include copies of all previous correspondence.

What to expect

Full independent review. Written outcome within 20 working days.

External
External escalation
Target: Varies

If your complaint is unresolved after Stage 3, or if it concerns data protection, you have the right to escalate to an external body.

How to raise

Safeguarding concerns: contact the local authority designated officer (LADO) for your area. Data protection: contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk). General: Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (lgsco.org.uk).

What to expect

External body will determine process and timeframe.

How we use complaints to improve

📋Every complaint logged in our system with a unique reference
⏱Resolution time tracked against target
📊Monthly complaint summary shared with commissioning LAs
📈Complaint trends reviewed at board level quarterly
🧠Anonymous lessons-learned shared with the ops team
Ready to raise a concern?
Start with Stage 1 — call our ops team or send us an email. We aim to resolve most concerns within 5 working days.