Roles and responsibilities
The ombuds will:
- Listen to your concerns
- Ask questions to clarify the issue; determine who has been involved and what actions have been taken
- Seek to understand what you would like to see happen
- Work with you and agency experts to generate options for resolution
- Help you weigh the pros and cons of the options
- Discuss alternatives for the situation
- Follow up with you until you are satisfied with resolution
The ombuds will not:
- Advocate for unlawful actions
- Replace any formal appeals processes
- Provide legal advice or legal opinions
- Act as a licensing regulator or give information to licensing agencies without your permission
- Take actions without your approval
How do ombuds staff handle issues?
When the ombuds staff receives notice of an issue, we will:
- Conduct informal or formal investigation
- Share information to help you address your issue and ombuds services available to you
- Use tools of diplomacy, coaching or facilitating a meeting to address issues and find resolution
- Provide recommendations to the Department of Human Services, local licensing agencies or the Legislature Report that helps make change
Definitions
What does it mean to be an advocate?
Being your advocate means that the office will represent your interests as a family child care provider, ensure you know your rights and you receive fair treatment. Our practice is to listen and try to help providers find solutions or check facts to resolve the issues. Our role is not to pass judgment but to help the parties move forward to resolution.
What does it mean to be informal?
The office is not a formal or legal option that produces records, makes binding decisions or protects rights granted by a system or organization. By bringing an issue to the ombuds, family child care providers should expect assistance, such as clarifying information, discussing options, listening to concerns, and submitting written complaints to relevant authorities, to help you resolve an issue.
