The SPSO draft Statement of Complaints Handling Principles was laid on 5 November 2010 and on 12 January 2011, the Parliament approved the complaints handling principles.
On 18 April 2024, the SPSO laid its proposed revision to the Complaint Handling Principles in anticipation of the enactment of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 (the UNCRC Act) which takes effect from 16 July 2024.