Compliants Procedure

Therefore, it is important to us to ensure that:

Making a complaint is straightforward and painless.

All complaints are recorded as such and are treated seriously - whether it is made in person, by telephone, by letter, text, social media, or by email
Complaints are dealt with promptly, politely and, where appropriate, informally

We will always give our customers the option for determining how they will like their response, e.g by telephone, letter, email etc

Complaints are learnt from and used to improve services.

How do you make a complaint?

We are committed to providing a professional, efficient, courteous and helpful training service to all our customers. However, if you believe that things have gone wrong and you are dissatisfied with our service, we want you to tell us. Then we can resolve your complaint and try to ensure it does not happen again. This procedure tells you how to make a complaint about any of our training services.

All our staff receive guidance on how to handle complaints.

Responsibility

Our Apprenticeship Management Team is responsible for this process, ensuring that it complies with ESFA Funding Rules. It is reviewed annually, or as and when Funding Rules or CIF are revised. The Quality Manager oversees the management of the process and stakeholders involved.

How to make your complaint

You may be able to resolve your complaint by taking it up immediately with the individual trainer concerned.

But if not, you can write (including fax and e-mail) to our head office. You can also telephone us on 07944674960 although you may be asked to put the details of your complaint in writing.

What to include in your complaint

• Your name (and company name if appropriate), and address;
• The name and date of the course you attended;
• Copies of any relevant correspondence about the complaint;
• The name of the person who you wrote or spoke to, and when, to help us find the papers and/or phone logs;
• Details about what has gone wrong or has not been handled properly; and
• An explanation of how you would like us to resolve your complaint.

What will happen next?

We will respond in writing to your complaint, within 10 working days of receiving it. If this is not possible, we will, within 5 working days, send you an acknowledgement explaining why we cannot provide you with an immediate response, including details of when you can expect a full reply.

We recognise that each complaint is different and that we will need to deal with each one in the most appropriate way. Therefore, our target is to address 90% of all complaints within 10 working days. We will reply to the remaining 10% within 20 working days. All complaints are logged in a database and then tracked to completion.


If you are not satisfied with the initial response

If you are not satisfied with our response to your complaint, you can escalate it by writing to our Managing Director at the Head Office.

What to expect

We aim to provide a high standard of service but, unfortunately, there may be times when we make a mistake. If this happens you are entitled to expect any one, or a combination, of the following:

• An apology;
• An explanation;
• An assurance that the same mistake will not happen again;
• Details of the action we have taken to put things right.

You may also be entitled to financial compensation and/or alternative training courses/services. Compensation will depend on the nature of the mistake, the circumstances in which the mistake was made, and any actual loss you have suffered or costs incurred as a direct consequence of the mistake. Each claim is considered on its merits.

Feedback

One of the best ways we can continue to improve our service is by listening, and responding, to your views. As well as learning from your complaints, we welcome any comments or suggestions you may have on how we can improve. Equally, we would like you to tell us when we get it right, so that we can maintain our good practices. Please send any comments to our Head Office.

Confidentiality and safeguarding

All complaints will be treated with due sensitivity and confidentiality, without undue fear of reprisal or repercussion. We will work to instil a culture through which learners and employers feel confident to make a complaint where they have any perceived grievance.

The Apprenticeship Management Team will give due consideration to any aspects of confidentiality and sensitivity associated with any complaint in determining how any investigation will be conducted, with the wellbeing and safeguarding of learners always being paramount. Where the complaint relates in any way to a safeguarding issue, our Lead Safeguarding Officer will be consulted in terms of the most appropriate way to proceed. Where appropriate / necessary, the complainant’s anonymity will be reasonably protected.

Any personal and/or sensitive data which may be requested/obtained in the course of any investigation will be securely stored and processed in strict accordance with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation 2016/67. Any data held or processed will only be used for the purpose of dealing with complaints and for monitoring and will be deleted/destroyed once the complaint is resolved. Only staff directly involved with the complaint / investigation / resolution will be given access to such data. Learners and employers may request a copy of our Data Security Policy if they have any questions or reservations about how their data may be handled.