Complaints Procedure

Date of last review: 7^th July 2025

Date of next review: 7^th July 2027

Complaints Policy Statement

Helping Kids Shine Limited:

Is committed to providing high-quality services to service users, agencies, and organisations.
Will take all concerns or complaints seriously and address them promptly.
Recognises the right of all service users, agencies, and organisations to raise concerns or complaints about services.
Will provide clear information on how to voice concerns and complaints.
Will ensure the complaints procedure is accessible to all service users, including those acting on their behalf.
Will keep a register of complaints for review by the Leadership Team.
All staff, volunteers, and directors are required to comply with this policy.
Helping Kids Shine Limited values feedback and strives for high standards in service delivery. We welcome feedback from users, stakeholders, and anyone who interacts with us to help improve our services.

Objectives of the Complaints Policy:

Ensure everyone knows how to make complaints and how complaints will be handled.
Ensure complaints are addressed fairly, consistently, and within clear timeframes.
Provide a fair process for individuals to complain about services.
Monitor complaints to improve services.

Helping Kids Shine Limited will ensure:

Complaints are listened to and treated confidentially.
Complaints are recorded and managed in line with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
Complaints are investigated objectively and within the stated time frame.
Complainants are informed of the results, any actions taken, and are advised on their right to appeal.
Annual reports of complaints and their outcomes are shared with the Leadership Team.

Definition of a Complaint

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction by an individual, whether justified or not. Individuals can complain if:

Services were not provided or were of an unacceptable standard.
Actions taken by Helping Kids Shine Limited were improper.
The service was unfair.

It’s important to differentiate between concerns and formal complaints:

Concerns should be addressed informally at the earliest stage.
If a concern is unresolved, the individual can file a formal complaint.

Complaints Procedure

The procedure consists of three stages:

Stage One – Complaint:

Complaints can be submitted in writing or verbally. If submitted verbally, the complaint must be written down comprehensively, as soon as possible to ensure that there is a clear record of the complaint. They should include the complainant’s details, the nature of the complaint, and how they wish it to be resolved. Acknowledgement must be given within 5 working days.

Stage Two – Investigation:

A member of the Leadership Team or director will handle the complaint, investigating and responding within 30 working days. If necessary, investigations may take longer, with updates provided. The complainant will be informed of the outcome, including any actions or improvements.

Stage Three – Appeal:

If the complainant is unsatisfied with the outcome of Stage Two, they can request an appeal to an Independent Investigator, who is external to Helping Kids Shine. The following process will apply:

Request for Appeal: The complainant must submit their request for an appeal in writing within 10 working days of receiving the Stage Two outcome. To proceed to Stage Three, the complainant must clearly outline how they believe the Stage Two response was unsatisfactory. This could include:

A belief that the investigation was not thorough or impartial.
A disagreement with the conclusions or recommendations made at Stage Two.
A failure to implement the agreed actions or improvements.

Investigator’s Role: The Independent Investigator will review the Stage Two investigation and consider the concerns raised by the complainant. The Independent Investigator will meet with the complainant to assess the specific complaints.

Action and Outcome: The Independent Investigator will recommend one of the following actions within 30 working days of receiving the appeal request:

Uphold the action taken at Stage Two.
Make changes to the Stage Two recommendation/actions.
Final Decision: The complainant will be informed in writing of the outcome of the appeal, and the decision reached will be final.

If the complainant remains dissatisfied after the outcome of Stage Three, they will be informed of their options to seek further advice from external bodies, such as the Health and Care Professions Council with regards to clinical complaints and Citizen’s Advice with business related complaints.

Complaints Involving Directors (Conflict of Interest)

In cases where a complaint involves one or more directors of Helping Kids Shine Limited, an Independent Professional may also be instructed at Stage One or Stage Two to assess the next stage only. The decision to appoint an external Independent Investigator at this stage will be made at the discretion and advice of an Independent Professional to Helping Kids Shine and will be assessed based on the specific nature of the complaint.

Assessment Process for Conflict of Interest:

Before proceeding to appoint an Independent Investigator, an initial assessment will be carried out to evaluate any potential conflict of interest. This process will include the following steps:

Consultation with Independent Professional: The decision to appoint an Independent Investigator will be made in consultation with an Independent Professional, who will provide advice on whether there is a conflict of interest and if an external investigation is warranted.
Identification of Conflict: The Independent Professional will review the nature of the complaint to determine if there is a potential conflict of interest. This could include situations where:

The complaint directly involves one or more directors.
The complaint is of a sensitive nature where impartiality or fairness could be compromised by the involvement of the directors in the investigation.

Threshold for External Investigator Appointment: The decision to appoint an Independent Investigator will be based on the following thresholds:

Significant conflict of interest: If the complaint involves one or more than one director in a way that may compromise the integrity of the internal investigation process, an external investigator will be appointed.
Potential bias: If there is a reasonable concern that internal investigation may be perceived as biased or lacking objectivity, an external investigator will be considered.
Seriousness of the complaint: If the complaint is of a serious or complex nature, such as issues involving governance, misconduct, or breach of policy, it will trigger the need for an independent investigation.

Independent Professional Decision: Following the assessment and advice, the Independent Professional will decide whether an external Independent Investigator should be instructed at Stage One or Stage Two, ensuring that all complaints are handled fairly and impartially.

The Independent Investigator will be instructed as needed to ensure an impartial and objective investigation. The Independent Professional will assess the situation on a case-by-case basis and determine whether external investigation is necessary at the earliest opportunity.

Anonymous Complaints

Complaints received anonymously will be considered, but further action may be limited if additional information is needed for a fair investigation.

Data Protection

Helping Kids Shine Limited will hold personal data provided during the complaint process securely and in accordance with GDPR. The identity of complainants will be kept confidential, except where required by law.

Monitoring

Complaints will be used as a tool for continuous improvement. Data collected will include the complainant’s details, the nature of the complaint, actions taken, and lessons learned. The information will be reviewed regularly by the Leadership Team.

For any questions or further clarification, please feel free to reach out to us at office@helpingkidsshine.co.uk.