DCEDIY Customer Service

The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is fully committed to delivering quality of service and equality of treatment to all our customers. We aim at all times to provide our customers with a professional, efficient and courteous service and do our best to improve the standards of the service provided.

The purpose of our Customer Service Action Plan 2022 - 2025 is to set out the standard of service our customers can expect to receive from the Department.

Our Customer Service Action Plan 2022–2025 and the associated Customer Charter affirms our commitment to the delivery of high quality services to all our customers.

Our Customer Charter outlines the standards of service that customers can expect to receive when they interact with us.

The Action Plan sets out how we will implement the Charter commitments, and review and report on our performance in this regard.

Customer satisfaction is very important to us.

We aim to achieve this by:

• giving our customers the best possible service and advice
• treating customers in a proper, fair, impartial and courteous manner
• aiming to ensure that rights to equal treatment set out by equality legislation are upheld in the delivery of our services
• aiming, where possible, to meet any special needs our customers may have

We are available to answer telephone calls during normal office hours (9.15am – 5.30pm Monday to Thursday, 9.15am - 5.15pm on Friday).

Our aim is to answer all calls efficiently. We will identify ourselves, and our area of work, be polite and helpful, and do our best to provide our customers with clear, correct information.

If we cannot give an answer straight away, we will take the customer’s details and call back at a suitable time.

We will only connect callers to voicemail if the person they wish to engage is unavailable and do our best to respond to voicemail messages within one working day.

We will be available to meet by appointment with our customers during normal office hours and where necessary will try to be flexible about our own availability at times outside these hours.

We will increase the levels of knowledge in the Department about equality and diversity and we will do this through training, information and communication.

In our dealings with customers, we strive to ensure that their rights to equal treatment, as set out in Equality legislation, are upheld.

Tabharfar freagra as Gaeilge ar chomhfreagras a gheofar i nGaeilge. Déanfar gach iarracht freastal ar fhiafraithe teileafóin i nGaeilge agus freastal ar dhaoine a thagann i láthair ar mian leo a ngnó a dhéanamh trí Ghaeilge.

If a customer has a complaint about the service we have provided they should ask to speak to the line manager of the area concerned, who will investigate the complaint.

If not satisfied with the outcome, the customer can write to the Customer Service Officer for the Department (details are below under Useful Contacts).

We will acknowledge complaints within 5 working days normally and do our utmost to deal with them within 15 working days. Should the need arise for further investigation, we will let the customer know and will endeavour to have a solution within 20 working days.

The processes for dealing with complaints are set out in the Department's Customer Service Action Plan 2022 - 2025

If a customer is not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation of a complaint, the matter may be appealed to the Appeals Officer (contact details are below under Useful Contacts). The deadlines for responding to appeals will be the same as those for formal complaints (outlined above).

If a customer remains unsatisfied with the outcome of an investigation of a complaint they can contact the Office of the Ombudsman.

We can help you best if you:

• provide any information you have which is relevant to your inquiry
• provide any relevant documents and reference numbers you have
• follow any checklists or guidelines which you have been given
• treat our staff and other customers with courtesy and respect