Complaints Policy and Procedure
This policy was created by ELT as follows:
Creator: Programme Director
Approver: Operations Director
Date of Most Recent Review and approval: 13.11.2023
Next Review: 10.09.2024 – against potential KCSIE updates. If there are legislative or regulatory changes in the interim, this policy will be reviewed before the aforementioned date.
Should no substantive changes be required at that point, the policy will move to the next review cycle
Related documents:
● Data Protection Policy
● Grievance Policy and Procedure
● Whistleblowing Policy and Procedure
● Information Records and Retention Policy
Definitions
Concern
A concern may be defined as ‘an expression of worry or doubt over an issue considered to be important for which reassurances are sought’.
Complaint
A complaint may be defined as ‘an expression of dissatisfaction however made, about actions taken or a lack of action’. These include allegations against a member of staff working for Liberty Tuition.
It is in everyone’s interest that concerns and complaints are resolved at the earliest possible stage. Many issues can be resolved informally, without the need to use the formal stages of the complaints’ procedure. Liberty Tuition takes concerns seriously and will make every effort to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.
If people would like to raise their concerns formally, Liberty Tuition will attempt to resolve the issue internally, through the stages outlined within this complaints’ procedure .
How to raise a concern or make a complaint
A concern or complaint can be made in person, in writing or by telephone, within 30 days of the issue arising.
Who to contact: | Details |
|---|---|
Alexander Scott (Director) | |
Roury Hinds (Operations Director) |
For ease of use, a template complaint form is included at the end of this procedure.
Scope of this Complaints Procedure – Exceptions
This procedure covers all complaints about any provision of tuition by Liberty Tuition other than complaints that are dealt with under other statutory procedures, including those listed below.
Exceptions | Who to contact |
|---|---|
Matters likely to require a Child Protection Investigation | Complaints about child protection matters are handled under our child protection and safeguarding policy. If you have serious concerns, you may wish to contact the local authority designated officer (LADO). |
Whistleblowing | Follow the internal whistleblowing procedure. |
National Curriculum - content | Please contact the Department for Education at: www.education.gov.uk/contactus |
Resolving complaints
At each stage in the procedure, Liberty Tuition wants to resolve the complaint. If appropriate, we will acknowledge that the complaint is upheld in whole or in part. In addition, we may offer one or more of the following:
● an explanation
● an admission that the situation could have been handled differently or better
● an assurance that we will try to ensure the event complained of will not recur
● an explanation of the steps that have been or will be taken to help ensure that it will not happen again and an indication of the timescales within which any changes will be made
● an undertaking to review policies in light of the complaint if required
● an apology if required.
Withdrawal of a Complaint
If a complainant wants to withdraw their complaint, we will ask them to confirm this in writing.
Complaint Procedure - Level 1
1.1. Liberty Tuition takes all complaints very seriously, meaning all complaints are immediately handled by a director. Following our Complaints Procedure, our aim is to always resolve Complaints to your satisfaction. If you are not satisfied with, Complaints may progress to External Resolution as detailed below.
1.2. Upon receipt of your Complaint, the Complaint Handler identified in “how to raise a complaint” will log the Complaint in our complaints log and will acknowledge receipt of
it in writing within 2 business days, giving you a Complaint Reference.
1.3. When we acknowledge receipt of your Complaint we will also provide details of your Complaint Handler. This may be the Complaint Handler to whom your original Complaint
was directed (as above) or your Complaint may be assigned to another appropriate member of our team.
1.4. If your Complaint relates to a specific director, employee, contractor or tutor, that person will be informed of your Complaint and given a fair and reasonable opportunity
to respond. Any communication between you and the director, employee, contractor or tutor in question should take place only via the Complaint Handler and we respectfully
ask that you do not contact the director, employee, contractor or tutor in question directly concerning the Complaint while we are working to resolve it.
1.5. If we require any further information or evidence from you, the Complaint Handler will contact you as quickly as is reasonably possible to ask for it. We ask that you use
reasonable efforts to supply any such information or evidence quickly to avoid delaying the complaints handling process. If you are for any reason unable to provide such
information or evidence, we will use all reasonable efforts to proceed without it, however please be aware that we will not ask for further information or evidence unless
we consider it important to the successful resolution of your Complain.
1.6. We aim to resolve Level One Complaints within 5 Business Days of the date you receive the Complaint Reference, however in some cases, particularly if your Complaint is of a
complex nature, this may not be possible. If this is not possible for any reason you will be informed of the delay, the likely length of the delay and the reasons for it.
1.7. At the conclusion of the Level One Complaints Procedure, regardless of the outcome, we will provide you with full details of our investigation, our conclusions from that
investigation, and any action taken as a result. You will also be reminded of your right to appeal our decision and escalate the complaint in the form of an Appeal.
Complaint Procedure - Level Two
1.8. If you are not satisfied with the resolution of your Level One Complaint, you may appeal the decision within 5 business days, and have the Complaint escalated. Appeals are
handled by the Appeal Handlers (where one of the directors is the subject of the complaint, the Client Manager, Sima Vadgama, will replace that director)..
1.9. Appeals, quoting your original Complaint Reference, should be directed to your original Complaint Handler who will forward the request to an appropriate Appeal Handler.
Receipt of Appeals will be acknowledged in writing within 2 Business Days. When we acknowledge receipt of your Appeal we will also provide details of your Appeal Handlers.
1.10. If your Complaint relates to a specific director, employee, contractor or tutor, that person will be informed of your Appeal and given a further opportunity to respond. Any communication between you and the director, employee, contractor or tutor in question should take place only via the Appeal Handlers and we respectfully ask that you do not
contact the specific director, employee, contractor or tutor in question directly concerning the Complaint while we are working to resolve it.
1.11. If we require any further information or evidence from you, the Appeal Handlers will contact you as quickly as is reasonably possible to Complaints Policy ask for it. We ask
that you use reasonable efforts to supply any such information or evidence to us quickly in order to avoid delaying the complaints handling process. If you are for any reason
unable to provide such information or evidence we will use all reasonable efforts to proceed without it, however please be aware that we will not ask for further information
or evidence unless we consider it important to the successful resolution of your Complaint.
1.12. We aim to resolve Level Two Complaints within 5 Business Days, however in some cases, particularly if your Complaint is of a complex nature, this may not be possible. If this is not possible for any reason you will be informed of the delay, the likely length of the delay and the reasons for it.
1.13. At the conclusion of the Level Two procedure, regardless of the outcome, we will provide you with full details of our investigation, our conclusions from that investigation, and any action taken as a result. Our decision at this stage is final, subject to your right to seek External Resolution of your Complaint.
1.14. Liberty Tuition is a corporate member of the Tutors’ Association (membership number 71203594) and has signed up to its code of professional practice for tutoring companies,meaning you as our customer, have the right to seek External Resolution of your Complaint from that organisation if you are not satisfied with the outcome of your Level
Two Complaint. You can contact them on 01628 306108 or in writing via email at info@thetutorsassociation.org.uk.
