Kind Communities CIC

1 POLICY STATEMENT

The purpose of this policy is to provide a clear statement of intent with regards to the assessment, handling and investigation of service users complaints. Kind Communities’ complaint handling policy and procedure has been created to meet the standards and requirements of the relevant regulating bodies.

The aim of this policy is to ensure that all service user complaints, either written or verbal, are handled in a clear and consistent manner and that further complaint are mitigated against and prevented.

2 PURPOSE

Kind Communities is committed to delivering a fair, open and clear process for complaints, and to ensure a satisfactory outcome for all service users who raise a complaint. We provide thorough staff training in our internal complaint handling procedures and support staff in how to handle complaint situations in a face-to-face, written and/or telephone environment.

This policy sets out our intent and objectives for how we handle complaints.

3 SCOPE

The policy relates to all service users, or service user representatives/advocates

4 OBJECTIVES

Kind Communities objectives are laid out below regarding complaint handling. For the purposes of this policy, a complaint is defined as any service user contact whereby a negative communication or outcome has occurred. The service user does not have to formally address their communication as an official complaint, or to request a response for Kind Communities to treat the incident as a complaint.

KIND COMMUNITIES’S OBJECTIVES FOR INTERNAL COMPLAINT HANDLING ARE: –

To provide a fair complaints procedure which is clear and easy to use for anyone wishing to make a complaint;
To ensure that our complaints procedure is fully accessible so that people know how to contact us to make a complaint;
To make sure everyone at Kind Communities knows what to do if a complaint is received;
To make sure all complaints are investigated fairly, and in a timely way;
To gather information which helps us to improve what we do.

KIND COMMUNITIES’S OBJECTIVES FOR THE COMPLAINT HANDLING PROCESS ARE: –

- Complaints will be investigated and responded to within a maximum of 6 weeks from the initial service users contact
- Complaint responses will always be provided in writing
- Complaint procedures and forms will be available via the Lifetime website as well as via

written or verbal request

- All complaints will be investigated by a trained member of staff and a full outcomesummary

provided to Senior Management

- Complaint records will be used to revise company procedures and to improve communication

and business practices where applicable

Complaint Handling Policy & Procedure Author: Kind Communities Revision Date: 25/01/19

Service userss who request Kind Communities’s complaint handling procedure will be provided a copy of the procedure and online form and will be asked to raise their complaint in writing as soon as possible after the incident.

5 PROCEDURES & GUIDELINES 5.1 RAISING A COMPLAINT

NOTE: Complaints are to be raised in writing or via email, however verbal complaints, either in person or via telephone will be accepted and dealt with as per the same procedures.

5.1.1 HOW TO RAISE A COMPLAINT
Service userss can make a complaint in whichever way is easiest for them, for example by telephone, e-

mail or letter. There is also a simple online form which is located on Kind Communities’s website.

https://www.lifetimetraining.co.uk/information/complaints/ or you can email: service users.care@lifetimetraining.co.uk.

Service userss who would prefer to make a verbal complaint can telephone Kind Communities on 03330 143 669 and speaking to our reception team by selecting the option for ‘other queries’. Lines are open 09:00-17.30 Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays and between Christmas and New Year)

Service userss who would prefer to submit a complaint in writing should send to Service users Care, Kind Communities, Clifton Heights, Triangle West, Bristol, BS8 1EJ

5.2 RESPONDING TO A COMPLAINT

Where an official complaint has been received, a written acknowledgement must be sent to the service users within 3 working days. The response should detail the complaint handling procedure and provide approximate timelines and expectations for the investigation and future responses.

5.3 INVESTIGATING THE COMPLAINT
A trained staff member will be assigned the role of investigating complaints and will gather all

necessary documents, recordings and information to make an independent review of the incident.

Complaint Handling Policy & Procedure Author: Kind Communities Revision Date: 25/01/19

If internal interviews are to be conducted, a note taker will be present alongside the investigator and interviewee and a copy of the interview notes will be written up and signed by the interviewer and interviewee prior to them being added to the complaint history.

All investigations must take place within 4-weeks of the initial complaint being received.

Investigations must utilise all the facts and any previous, related information to produce an unbiased outcome and an expected course of action. A complaint reference should be assigned and all documents relevant to the complaint should have the referenced written on them for continuity.

The reference will also be added to the Complaints Register so that complaint and document can be audited and traced back in the future.

Kind Communities reserves the right to pass on relevant information to a third party where there is a valid legal reason to do so and any request for information will be investigated prior to any personal information being passed on.

5.4 DECISION LETTER (FINAL RESPONSE)

After the complaint, has been investigated in full and an outcome and action decision has been arrived at, the investigator will draft a final response letter to the service users with both their findings and their decision on any action to be taken.

In the event you are still not fully satisfied you should first raise an appeal in writing via email or letter.

The final response must be sent within 6 weeks of the initial response being raised. Should the service users wish to raise an appeal please follow the process below (6 Escalating a Complaint)

6 ESCALATING A COMPLAINT

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your appeal you can escalate your complaint to the relevant Governing Body.

6.1 AWARDING ORGANISATION
If you are a learner and wish to make an appeal against an assessment decision, please refer to the

If you are an Apprentice or studying a work-based learning programme based in England who receives funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) please follow the complaints procedure as set by the governing body.

Development Scotland (SDS) please follow the complaints procedure as set by the governing body. https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/about/policies/complaints/

Learner Appeal policy provided at the start of your course.

7 COMPLAINT RECORDING

All complaints, whether formal or informal, are recorded on a Service users Complaint Register. The register should consist of the below information and should be audited on a frequent basis to ensure that incidents are not being repeated and improvements are being made.

Date
Nature of Complaint
Department(s) Involved
Complaint Reference
Lead Investigator

Root Cause and Action Taken
Decision Letter Sent (Y/N)
Date Complaint Resolved/Closed

Complaint Handling Policy & Procedure Author: Kind Communities Revision Date: 25/01/19

All complaints must be kept and be available for 3 years following resolution.

8 Confidentiality

All details of complaints should be kept confidential and shared only with the following parties:

The individual or entity making the complaint
The individuals who are the subject of the complaint, subject to the need to withhold the

details of the complainant at the request of the complainant if this does not compromise

the investigation of the complaint

The relevant line manager
The Quality department
Chief Executive Officer

Only when it is necessary to involve others in the investigation will the information be shared.

9 RESPONSIBILITIES

Kind Communities will ensure that all staff are provided with the time, resources and support to learn, understand and deal with service users complaints and that full training will be provided for new and existing employees on the complaint handling policy, procedures and expectations.

The staff member handling the complaint will be appointed the role of overseeing the investigation and recording of all service users complaints and is responsible for regular auditing of the complaints log to ensure mitigating actions and improvements are put into place where possible.

10 INTERNAL PROCESS

Complaint Handling Policy & Procedure Author: Kind Communities Revision Date: 25/01/19

REVISION HISTORY

Complaint Handling Policy & Procedure Author: Kind Communities Revision Date: 25/01/19

COMPLAINT HANDLING FORM

11 COMPLAINT HANDING FORM

*Version*	*Revision Date*	*Revised by*	*Section Revised*

Document Control

Document Owner:

Document No:

Status:

Draft/Approved

Date Approved:

Security Classification:

High/Medium/Low

Next Review Date:

Version:

V1.3

Department:

Complaint Handling Policy & Procedure Author: Kind Communities Revision Date: 25/01/19

Complaint Handling Form SERVICE USERS DETAILS:
NAME:		ADDRESS:
TEL/MOB:		EMAIL:
		REF:
Service users TYPE	☐ Work Based Learning	Sector
	☐ Commercial	Owner
	☐ Prospect Learner/Applicant	Subject area	Certification/Regional Trainer conduct/Regional Trainer contact/Tutor conduct/Tutor contact/Training agreements/Application process/Sales process/Loan/Other

COMPLAINT DETAILS:
DATE/TIME COMPLAINT RECEIVED:
COMPLAINT RECEIVED BY:
DATE/TIME OF INCIDENT:
NATURE OF COMPLAINT:

Complaint Handling Policy & Procedure Author: Kind Communities Revision Date: 25/01/19

SYSTEM/EMPLOYEE/PROCESS INVOLVED IN COMPLAINT:

Complaint Handling Policy & Procedure Author: Kind Communities Revision Date: 25/01/19

INVESTIGATION DETAILS:

ROOT CAUSE:

MEASURES TO PREVENT REPEAT OCCURRENCES:

OUTCOME/RESOLUTION:

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