Who are we looking for and why work at Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS)?
At CHS we recruit, train and support empathetic and committed volunteers across Scotland.
Our 2,200 volunteer Panel Members take part in children’s hearings in their local areas, making decisions with and
for infants, children and young people. We also work closely with a network of nine regional teams who support
Panel Members in their local communities. This role provides a great opportunity to help children, their
families, and the panel community by using feedback to enhance practice.
We are looking for someone with a proven track record in handling feedback and complaints. You must be passionate
about resolving issues and making sure deadlines are met, using what we learn from feedback and complaints to
improve outcomes for children. You’ll be the main point of contact, either by e-mail, web form or telephone.
You’ll have great interpersonal skills, be an excellent communicator and be able to multi-task and prioritise
effectively.
You will need to capture the detail of the complaint accurately, establish what outcomes are required and work with
our panel community and other partners to establish the facts so that you can respond to the complaint
appropriately within the timelines required.
Ideally you will a good understanding of public sector complaints and the requirements of the Scottish Public
Services Ombudsman’s Model Complaints Handling Procedure.
Supporting the Complaints Management Officer you will be involved with several exciting projects we are working on,
including the continued development of our child friendly feedback and complaints approach, an improved feedback
loop and supporting the continued development of relationships with our key partners. CHS has also introduced a
new Tribunal Support Model for managing our internal volunteer organisational structure and you’ll be expected
to support those changes through the lens of your feedback and complaints role.
You’ll also need a good eye for detail, be comfortable using complaints management systems and be familiar with
Office 365 products, including Teams. You’ll be able to produce reports in relation to complaints and have the
confidence and skills to engage with our partners and senior leaders. You need excellent analytical skills and
the ability to accurately capture data to inform improvements.
Please be aware that occasional travel may be required as a requirement of this role, as well as very occasionally
having to work outside CHS’s normal working hours.
Feedback & Complaints at CHS
We are keen to enhance our feedback channels and our primary aim is to resolve most of our complaints at the
frontline, without the need for formal investigation. As Feedback and Complaints Officer, you will play a key
role in improving processes relating to feedback and complaints management. As well as handling complaints in
line with SPSO guidelines we also have a pastoral responsibility for our panel community so it’s important to
understand what that means and get the balance just right.
You will have the opportunity to get involved in other projects which will enhance our insight and awareness of the
experience of children and young people in hearings as well as from other partners. There will also be
opportunity for career development for the right candidate.
Complaints sits within the Practice and Standards Team at CHS and that provides the perfect route for us to take the
learning from complaints and feedback and translate that in to practice improvements within children’s hearings,
as well as making sure we involve children in improving practice and policy.
Life at CHS
As an organisation that works within the children’s hearings system, we are passionate about making a positive
contribution to improving outcomes for Scotland’s infants, children and young people. Our values are at the very
heart of what we do every day. By working with us, you’ll be joining a diverse community of colleagues and
volunteers.
At CHS we are proud to celebrate difference. We all have different skills, experience and backgrounds and we strive
to have a friendly and inclusive culture where you can be yourself.
We offer an excellent benefits package, from health and wellness to finances and family. including: generous annual
leave, flexible working and other leave policies, fantastic pension, Employee Assistance Programme, development
opportunities and wider employee wellbeing initiatives.
Diversity and Inclusion
CHS is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment
for all employees. We actively encourage applicants from all protected characteristics and commit to providing
any reasonable adjustments required during application and assessment process, and upon joining CHS.