Complaints Procedure

We will make every effort to make this complaints procedure as accessible as possible by responding to requests for other formats. If complainants have any difficulty understanding our complaints procedure they can contact Facilitating Change on 01786 820111 or email us through our contact page.

Stage 1: Informal Complaint

Facilitating Change will endeavour to resolve complaints at a local level and complainants are asked to raise their concerns with the Facilitating Change consultant concerned in the first instance i.e. their coach, trainer, mediator or consultant. The consultant involved will hear the complaint from the person and seek to resolve it and/or make repair. If this cannot happen at this level the complainant will be informed about how to make a formal complaint (Stage 2).

If we receive an anonymous complaint we will raise this with the consultant involved to seek understanding and clarification.

Stage 2: Formal Complaint to Facilitating Change (internal investigation)

If the complainant is not satisfied with the response, he/she can make a formal complaint in writing to the senior partner, Chris Whitehead, 61 Montgomery Crescent, Dunblane, Perthshire FK15 9FB. If the complainant is not able to make this complaint in writing they can request a meeting to discuss the complaint with the senior partner or seek support from a local agency such as the Citizen’s Advice Bureau.

If the complaint is against the senior partner it will be dealt with by an external consultant. The external consultant will be selected based on the nature of the complaint.

Complaints will only be dealt with if made within three years of the incident.

• Following the receipt of a formal complaint, a letter of acknowledgement will be sent within three working days
• An investigation will take place within a month of the receipt of the complaint.
• The aim of the investigation will be to:-
  1. Establish what went wrong and offer an explanation
  2. Enable discussion between Facilitating Change and the complainant
  3. Ensure an apology is given where appropriate
  4. Identify action to minimise the occurrence of the issue. (Possible sanctions may include monitored supervision, suspension from duties at Facilitating Change, being reported to their professional body and any other measure deemed appropriate by the investigator).
• Evidence from each party involved in the complaint will be heard separately
• At any stage of the complaint process parties can declare a conflict of interest

Stage 3: Formal Complaint to External Consultant

If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of the internal investigation or we are not able to deal with the complaint, we will refer them to an independent and impartial investigator. Facilitating Change will assign the investigator within 7 days of receiving the complaint. Appeals can be made by the complainant to the independent investigator within 6 months after completion of the internal investigation.

If at any point during the investigation a conflict of interest arises with any party we will seek to appoint another impartial, independent investigator.

The investigator can halt the complaint at any stage should it emerge that legal action is underway, pending or intended, until any legal process is completed.

This independent investigation will be completed within six months. The investigator will meet with the complainant, who may be accompanied by a supportive person of their choice to explain the outcome of the investigation.

Stage 4: formal complaint to relevant professional body

If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome from the independent investigator then she will refer them to the relevant professional body as follows:

Complaining on behalf of other parties

Facilitating Change is acutely aware of the need for confidentiality and will not accept a complaint on behalf of a third party without prior written consent from the person involved.

Records

Records will be kept detailing the nature of the complaint raised, Facilitating Change’s response, any action taken and the reasons for it. These records will be kept confidential and retained in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation 2016, which requires the release of certain data to individuals on their request. Copies of any meeting records will be given to the individual concerned, on request, although in certain circumstances some information may be withheld, for example to protect a witness.