Complaint Management Policy

1. Complaints can come to all levels of CAMSIS Education Staff in many forms and from many people. All Staff should be equipped to respond appropriately to these as they arise. This document outlines the procedures established at CAMSIS Education to manage complaints.

The Complainant

2. Complaints from Tutors regarding other CAMSIS Education Staff are to be treated according to the Grievance Policy and as such should be referred to the On-site College Manager according to those procedures.
3. Complaints from Pastoral Staff regarding other CAMSIS Education Staff are to be treated according to the Grievance Policy and as such should be referred to the On-site College Manager according to those procedures.
4. Complaints from students, Tutors or Pastoral Staff which fall within the ambit of the Student Discipline Policy should be treated in line with that policy.
5. Complaints from students which do not fall within the ambit of the Student Discipline Policy should be treated according to this Complaints Procedure.
6. Complaints from parents should be treated according to this Complaints Procedure.
7. Complaints from College Staff / Fellows should be treated according to this Complaints Procedure.
8. Any complaint which concerns a report of harm (whether psychological/emotional or sexual) of a student under the age of 18 then the procedure in the Safeguarding Policy should be followed.
9. Complaints may also be directed to the British Accreditation Council. Their complaints procedure can be found online at: http://www.the-bac.org/baccomplaints- procedure/.

The Recipient of the Complaint

10. Any Member of Staff can receive a complaint. It is therefore important that these basic rules are followed.
11. The recipient of the complaint should immediately refer it in its entirety to the On-site College Manager unless the subject of the complaint is a Tutor in which case the reference should be to the Academic Director.
12. If both the On-site College Manager and the Academic Director are subject to the complaint, then it should be referred to the Managing Director.
13. If the On-site College Manager is subject to a complaint then the Academic Director should be notified by the person receiving the complaint.
14. The recipient of the complaint should be open and understanding, ensuring that they do not take negativity or anger on the part of the claimant as a personal attack or challenge.
15. The recipient of the complaint should be helpful and respectful and give the complainant their undivided attention.
16. The recipient of the complaint should not be defensive in receiving the complaint, nor attempt to apportion blame, but rather should remain positive.
17. The recipient of the complaint should make an immediate record of the complaint in line with the Documentation section of this policy.
18. The recipient of the complaint should under no circumstances disclose the existence or receipt of the complaint to the subject(s) of the complaint.
19. Students will be advised that in the first instance if they have a complaint they should go to their On-site College Manager, and failing that, to go to another On-site College Manager or the Academic Director.
20. Parents will have contact details for the On-site College Manager and the Managing Director and it should be expected that most complaints from parents will be addressed to them. All Staff though should be ready to potentially receive a complaint from a parent.

The Form of the Complaint

11. If a complaint is received via an email then the full email should be forward along with a covering note to an appropriate individual.
12. If a complaint is received via a phone call:
    1. The recipient should offer the complainant the chance to make a written complaint
    2. The recipient must record the conversation which they should then write up into a formal record following the procedures in the Documentation section of this policy and ensure that a phone number is taken for contacting the complainant (regardless of whether they are onsite). This should then be sent immediately to an appropriate person; and
    3. It is important to summarise the issues to clarify and check that the complaint has been understood.
13. If a complaint is received in person:
    1. The recipient should offer the complainant the chance to make a written complaint
    2. The recipient should be sure to take a full note of the conversation which they should then write up into a formal record following the procedures in the Documentation section of this policy and then ensure that this is sent immediately to an appropriate person
    3. It is important to summarise the issues with the complainant to clarify and check that the complaint has been understood.
14. If a complaint is received in writing then the recipient should be sure to make a copy of the written complaint and place it in the designated secure location. The original should then be sent to the person identified at 10. along with a covering note which is written in accordance with the procedures in the Documentation section of this policy.

Course Complaints Procedure:

• If there is any problem with your course, we want to be the first to hear about it.

• If you're experiencing a problem during the course, then please contact your On-site College Manager.

• If you're experiencing a problem before or after the course, then please contact admissions at [email protected]

To support our students with unforeseen circumstances, we provide medical and travel insurance for our students staying in the UK, see policies for details.

It is essential that you contact us as soon as possible so that we can try to rectify the situation on the spot. In the unlikely event that the matter remains unresolved after 5 working days, then please ask to speak with an On-site College Manager and we will do our utmost to find a satisfactory solution.

Documentation

15. The record of the complaint, however it is received, should:
    1. Use objective language to clearly state the facts
    2. Present information (where possible) in chronological order
    3. Uses quotations marks wherever necessary to make clear what is reported speech and to whom it is attributed and whether or not the reportage is verbatim;
    4. Be typed, or neatly and legibly written in pen or biro
    5. Use clear and unambiguous language throughout
    6. Include, where necessary, dated and initialled corrections
    7. Include the name of the author of the record of the complaint, their role in the Company, the date and time it was received and the date and time it was written up
    8. Be signed by the author.

Complaints Management Procedure

Stage One

16. The Complaint should be received in accordance with the procedures outlined above. All complaints which fall under this Complaints procedure should be forwarded to the appropriate person.
17. If the recipient of the complaint feels that it can be resolved by them then they should, when reporting the matter, suggest the course of action they think appropriate – this may be authorised by the individual to which they are reporting the complaint.
18. If the complainant wishes to submit their own notes of a verbal conversation then they may do so and the recipient of the complaint should advise them to whom it should be sent and by when. This will normally be within 24hrs and to an appropriate person.

This may be submitted with the help of a third party if they choose to do so. In the event that the On-site College Manager is the recipient of the complaint they should nevertheless complete the same formal report and written notes.

Stage Two

19. Once the On-site College Manager (or appropriate person) has received the formal report of the complaint from the recipient of the complaint they must decide whether to:
    1. Take no further action.
    2. In the event that the appropriate person chooses not to investigate the complaint they must give reasons for this decision. (This decision may be challenged by a review.)
    3. Refer the complaint to an external agency if required.
    4. Initiate an investigation of the Complaint, within CAMSIS Education, if further information is required.

This decision should be taken within 24 hours of the receipt of the report.

Stage Three

20. Once an investigation has been initiated the appropriate individual must investigate the complaint immediately:
    1. The complaint should be investigated swiftly and without undue delay.
    2. The investigation should be collaborative, with an aim of establishing the facts of the matter regarding which a complaint has been made.
    3. Due attention should be paid to all company policies in the conducting of the investigation.
    4. The investigation should be documented to a level sufficient for a clear review of its method and findings.
21. Following the investigation, and within one day of completion, the investigator will:
    1. Where necessary, convene a meeting with the complainant in order to discuss the outcome of the investigation and any action to be taken;
    2. Send a full written response to the complaint to the complainant detailing the outcome of the investigation and any action to be taken; and
    3. Inform the complainant of their right to a review if they are unsatisfied with the action taken.

The sorts of actions which may be appropriate in response to a complaint are action against a student in line with the Student Discipline Policy/Course rules; action against a member of CAMSIS Education Staff in accordance with the Staff Disciplinary and Capability Policy; and review of CAMSIS Education policies and procedures.

Stage Four

22. The fourth stage, the review stage, is reached either at the conclusion of Stage Three or at the decision to take no action at Stage One. If the complainant feels that their complaint has not been satisfactorily resolved they may ask for the response to be reviewed. The review should be conducted by the Managing Director.
23. The review should examine all areas of the handling of the complaint from the first instance of the complaint being made to a Member of Staff through the response by the individual investigating, any investigation and any response subsequent to investigation.
24. The review should be conducted as soon as possible, preferably within two working days of the review being requested. The review should involve, but not be limited to talking with those involved in the response to, and the investigation of the complaint; and reviewing all documentation from the complaint and subsequent response and investigation.
25. The Managing Director or their appointed representative should meet with the complainant to present the findings of the review. The complainant has a right to be accompanied at any such meetings by another Member of Staff or union representative not acting in a legal capacity.
26. Where the review finds a failing, procedural or substantive, in the conduct of the complaint procedure by any individual involved in the response (excluding the complainant), the Managing Director will be empowered to, at their discretion do one or more of the following:
    1. Change or alter the decision made in response to the complaint at first instance.
    2. Order the complaint to be reconsidered by the next most senior member of CAMSIS Education Staff not involved in the review or the initial response and/or investigation.
    3. Initiate disciplinary proceedings against some or all of those involved in the response to the complaint – these shall be conducted under the Staff Disciplinary and Capability Policy and may be treated as gross misconduct.
27. There is to be no further internal review or appeal of the decision or findings of the review.