Feedback and Complaints Policy

PURPOSE 

This policy is in place to ensure Nurture 2 Thrive has a consistent and comprehensive approach to managing compliments, complaints, and suggestions. Compliments, complaints, and suggestions form a part of a continuous improvement system, feeding into a holistic review of our organisation and the services we provide, and ensure it is meeting changing community needs. The effective management and resolution of complaints will enhance service users’ experience, improve practices and help Nurture 2 Thrive deliver its services. 

SCOPE 

This policy relates to compliments, complaints, and suggestions from anyone about Nurture 2 Thrive and the services we provide. It is not limited to service users or their families, but anyone who has feedback. 

Definitions

Compliment - “expression of dissatisfaction made to or about an organisation, related to its products, services, staff or the handling of a complaint, where a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected or legally required.

Complainant - a person who makes a complaint, or has a complaint made on their behalf.

Complaint - an expression of dissatisfaction made to or about an organisation, related to its products, services, staff or the handling of a complaint, where a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected.

Procedural Fairness – a principal that requires a fair and proper procedure be used when making a decision.

POLICY STATEMENTS 

Nurture 2 Thrive is committed to ensuring that any person or organisation using Nurture 2 Thrive services, or affected by its operations, has the right to lodge a complaint or to appeal a decision of the organisation and to have their concerns addressed in ways that ensure fairness, accountability and transparency. Nurture 2 Thrive welcomes compliments and feedback from any person or organisation using Nurture 2 Thrive services or affected by its operations. 

Nurture 2 Thrive will inform service users of their rights and responsibilities in regard to complaints and appeals at the earliest possible stage of their involvement with the organisation and will use appropriate interpreter services to ensure information is available in alternate languages or formats if and when required. Service users will be encouraged to advise a team member if this service is required. 

To ensure the effective implementation of this policy Nurture 2 Thrive will ensure that this Policy, Procedures and related processes:

• are easy to use and reflective of programs design

• Are effectively communicated and promoted to all service users and stakeholders. 

• Ensure complaints or appeals are fairly assessed and responded to promptly. 

• Are procedurally fair, culturally appropriate and follows principles of natural justice. 

• Comply with legislative and compliance requirements. 

The complaints and appeals procedure will: 

• Require all complaints received to be considered and appropriately recorded. 

• Ensure that those who lodge a complaint are treated with respect, recognising that the issue of the complaint is important to the complainant. 

• Require that all parties involved maintain confidentiality, keeping any information private to those directly involved in the complaint and its resolution. 

• Recognise that each complainant has different expectations from a complaint, so we shall work with the complainants to acknowledge and recognise, provide answers where possible, address and action where changes can be made, and apologise where it is appropriate. 

• Ensure advocacy is offered when a complaint is made, and the claimant requires or requests support. 

• Guide the resolution of complaints to the claimant’s satisfaction wherever possible. 

• Deal with all complaints in a timely manner and allow for appeals to decisions to be heard promptly and fairly. 

• Keep parties to the complaint informed of progress of the complaint. 

• Ensure all service users, stakeholders and members are aware of the complaints policy and procedures and the alternative formats for making a complaint that are available 

• Provide a framework that ensures complainants are not penalised in any way or prevented from using services during the progress of a complaint.

• If a matter remains unresolved after a review, the appeals process provides the claimant with the option of referring the matter to an appropriate external authority within their jurisdiction to review the process used in attempting to resolve the complaint. 

• Ensure that compliments, complaints and feedback data is collated and considered in organisational reviews and in planning service improvements. 

PROCEDURE 

To lodge a complaint, people are encouraged to speak directly to a staff member first, in an attempt to resolve the matter.

Nurture 2 Thrive employees must

•  listen openly to the concerns being raised by the complainant; 

• ask the complainant what outcome they are seeking; 

• inform the complainant of the complaint process and how to formally make a complaint to Nurture 2 Thrive, the NDIS Commissioner or other complaints body 

• be empathic towards the person and action all commitments made; and 

• action situations that pose an immediate threat or danger or require a specialised response. 

Making a Complaint 

Complaints may be registered verbally or in writing: 

• Directly with the team member who is the immediate contact. 

• Through email to the organisation 

• Through the Nurture 2 Thrive contact section on the website 

Written Complaints 

Written complaints can be directed to the organisation, that is the source of the complaint. The Director will be responsible for receiving the complaint and managing it accordingly. 

Feedback Providing

Feedback to Nurture 2 Thrive is voluntary. 

Feedback can be provided at any time, in any way, by any stakeholder, through: 

• a staff member; 

• email, mail or phone; 

• Nurture 2 Thrive website;

• staff collection of feedback after a person interacts with the service (e.g. initial assessment and planning; reviews; exit, etc.)

Complaints from Indigenous and CALD clients 

Nurture 2 Thrive will attempt to engage a suitable Aboriginal community member (subject to the complainant’s approval) for appropriate cultural support if a complaint involves an Aboriginal child, young person or family, or the relevant CALD agency. 

Response and Action 

Details of all calls are forwarded directly to the organisations director for response and action with outcomes also recorded on the central feedback register 

The director of Nurture 2 Thrive will review the significance of the complaint in response to calls that do not include a return phone number or provide caller identification to ascertain whether follow-up can be undertaken and more information or clarification of the call content to be obtained.

Managing Complaints 

This procedure applies to complaints received from clients, the general public, statutory bodies and other stakeholders.

Informal complaints usually stay within the organisation and are dealt with by the team member receiving the complaint. The Service Director dealing with the complaint will check with the client / service user that they understand the complaints process. Informal complaints are usually solved quickly, and the client or service user notified verbally of the outcome. 

Formal complaints are recorded on complaints register and, on the client, or service user’s file. The complaints register is subject to ongoing review and regular audits. Responses to formal complaints will be provided in writing but may be supported by other forms of communication to clients / service users. Regardless of the outcome of a complaint, details of the complaint will be used as a catalyst for the ongoing review of systems and procedures and the identification of potential improvements to services and programs. 

Complaints Process 

On receipt of a complaint, it is registered in the Complaints Register. Once the complaint is registered, the complainant is informed by letter or phone call that the complaint has been received and is provided with information about the investigation process and the anticipated timeframe for resolution. The complainant’s cultural safety is maintained throughout any complaints process. 

Investigating a Complaint 

The complaint is investigated and assessed, and a decision made on an appropriate response to the complaint. The investigation will involve gathering evidence relevant to the complaint after which the investigator will seek out corroborating information. For example, looking at records, documentation and interviewing relevant people concerned with the complaint. The person investigating the complaint will have a level of professional judgement on the complaint itself and actions to be taken and will refer to their service director if unsure of the process or their judgement of the complaint. Nurture 2 Thrives objective is to resolve complaints and provide a response within 15 working days of the complaint being received. If this timeframe cannot be met, the claimant will be informed of the reasons why and given a revised timeframe for a response to be provided. 

Resolving a Complaint 

Once the complaint has been investigated, assessed and a decision made on an appropriate response, the complainant will be advised in writing or through another method as agreed with the complainant, of the outcome of the investigation. Outcomes could include: 

• The complaint has been resolved with the complainant advised how resolution was achieved and what this means for the complainant. 

• The complaint has been upheld but not yet resolved and an appropriate resolution discussed with the claimant. 

• That no further action will be taken regarding the complaint with the claimant advised the reasons for this decision and informed of options available to them if they wish to take further action. • Complainants may raise multiple issues and at times the final response could see a combination of all the above outcomes. 

• At times, due to confidentiality and privacy reasons Nurture 2 Thrive would be unable to provide detail in relation to the outcome of the complaint. This will be explained at this time to the complainant. 

Reviewing a complaint 

If a complainant is not satisfied with the investigation process, disagrees with a decision made by Nurture 2 Thrive, or is not satisfied with the resolution, proposed resolution or lack of resolution of their complaint, they can lodge an appeal in writing. The appeal may be submitted to the relevant manager requesting that the complaint be reviewed along with any decisions or resolutions made in response to the claim. 

Referral to an External Authority 

If the matter still remains unresolved after the Service Directors review, the appeals process provides the claimant with the option of referring the matter to an appropriate external authority that has the jurisdiction to review the process used by Nurture 2 Thrive in attempting to resolve the complaint

Agencies for referral 

Service users who wish to register a complaint about a service failure that may occur in the delivery of Nurture 2 Thrives programs and services or about the impact of Nurture 2 Thrives services or operations on them are encouraged to undertake the Nurture 2 Thrives Complaints and Appeals process outlined in the Compliments and Complaints policy and procedure prior to contacting the relevant external authority listed below. 

• Australian Association of Social Workers -AASW at ethicscomplaint@aasw.asn.au Ph: 03 9320 1044. 

• National Disability Insurance Scheme NDIS email feedback@ndis.gov.au Ph: 1800 800 110.

• Office of the Children’s Guardian Suite 1, Level 13 418A Elizabeth Street Surry Hills NSW 2010 Ph: 02 8219 3600 Fax: 02 8219 3699 Email: kids@kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au