NLAECL Compliments and Complaints Policy

POLICY STATEMENT 

North Lincolnshire Adult Education and Community Learning Service (AECL) welcomes any and all feedback from its learners or apprentices other stakeholders and staff on the quality of our Service and our success or otherwise in meeting their expectations. 

This policy covers all learners or apprentices recruited onto courses delivered through AECL, and employers offering apprenticeships or work experience opportunities.

AECL aims to provide an outstanding service to learners, apprentices and employers, but occasionally issues do occur. Most concerns can be resolved by dialogue between the learner and apprentices /employer and staff concerned without having to raise a formal complaint. However, if this is not appropriate, or does not resolve matters satisfactorily, then a formal complaint may be made. 

We take all complaints seriously and we are committed to dealing with them fairly, transparently and efficiently. We do this through our complaints procedure which is explained below.

Purpose of the policy

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that:

• all learners and apprentices receive the highest quality of experience in order to be supported and encouraged to fulfil their academic and personal potential
• all learners and apprentices are treated equally and fairly, irrespective of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion and belief (including political belief), gender re-assignment, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity
• learner and apprentice support is offered and delivered in a timely manner, based on learners’ and apprentices’ needs and with reasonable adjustments being made where necessary, to ensure that those needs are fully met
• quality is monitored and maintained and complaints are heard and used to bring about improvements

Section 1 – Compliments

AECL actively encourages learners, apprentices, stakeholders, and members of the public to share their positive experiences with the service, as this provides valuable feedback and helps us to:

• Recognise good practice and excellent service.
• Share successful approaches across teams and programmes.
• Motivate and acknowledge staff performance.

How to submit a compliment

You may submit a compliment by:

• Telling your tutor or centre staff member.
• Participating in surveys
• using a Suggestion Box available in the Ashby Community Hub
• Emailing your tutor or the Safeguarding and Support Officer: paul.burnett@northlincs.gov.uk
• Calling the Safeguarding and Support Officer: 01724 297467
• Writing to:

Paul Burnett

Safeguarding and Support Officer
North Lincolnshire Adult Education & Community Learning
Ashby Community Hub
Ashby High Street
Scunthorpe
DN16 2UT

All compliments will be logged and shared with the relevant staff or teams. Where appropriate, the information will also be used for staff recognition and service development.

Section 2 – Complaints

Objectives

This section of the policy has been designed to make sure that any complaint that has been made is:

• taken seriously.
• dealt with honestly, politely and in confidence.
• responded to in a timely manner.
• settled promptly by putting matters right or by giving an explanation.
• used to help us to improve our service.

The process

We will always aim to respond to complaints in as timely a manner as possible, at the same time ensuring that all complaints are investigated fully and fairly. 

Learners and apprentices can make a complaint, comment or suggestion by: 

• raising it with the tutor
• raising it with the help of a family member, friend, neighbour or advocate, for   example, if English is not their first language or they have a disability or learning difficulty
• using a Suggestion Box available in the Ashby Community Hub
• telephoning Paul Burnett, Safeguarding and Support Officer on 01724 297467
• writing to:

Paul Burnett
Safe Guarding and Support Officer
North Lincolnshire Adult Education & Community Learning
Ashby Community Hub
Ashby High Street
Scunthorpe
DN16 2 UT

• emailing paul.burnett@northlincs.gov.uk

The Safeguarding and Support Officer to pass the complaint to the AECL Service Manager and  acknowledge receipt of a complaint in writing within 3 working days. 

AECL Service Manager to investigate complaint that may include: 

• interviewing/liaising with the complainant 
• interviewing/liaising with the relevant members of staff involved
• interviewing/liaising with relevant learners, apprentices or stakeholders
• examining any relevant supporting evidence

Lead Officer for Adult Learning, Skills and Employability to confirm the outcome in writing within 28 calendar days of the start of the investigation. 

• If complaint is upheld, to include an apology and any appropriate details of action taken.
• If it is not upheld, complainant to be informed of outcome and given details of how to initiate a new, separate complaint regarding the way in which their initial complaint has been dealt with or its outcome through North Lincolnshire Council’s complaints procedure, details of which are available at: Standards, complaints, appeals and objections – North Lincolnshire Council (northlincs.gov.uk)

If the complaint is about the AECL Service Manager the learner or apprentice should follow North Lincolnshire Council’s complaints procedure: Standards, complaints, appeals and objections – North Lincolnshire Council (northlincs.gov.uk)

Vexatious complaints

A vexatious complaint is one which is made with the intention to cause inconvenience, harassment, or expense to an organisation. If it is demonstrated that a complaint has no basis or is a repetition of a previous complaint for which the complaints procedure has been followed and exhausted, it may be classed as a vexatious complaint. Every complaint that is received by AECL will be considered. Where the AECL Service Manager has good reason to believe that a complaint is vexatious, it will be acknowledged, recorded and no further action will be taken.

AECL Staff Obligations 

• All learners and apprentices must be made aware of the complaints procedure that is appropriate for the learning activity they are undertaking.
• All staff must ensure that the procedure is fully understood by learners and apprentices at induction. 
• All staff to follow procedure as described above. 
• All funded learners and apprentices must be made aware of any regulated complaints procedures associated with their awarding bodies.

Responsibility for this policy

The maintenance and updating of this policy are the responsibility of the Lead Officer for Adult Learning, Skills and Employability and will be reviewed annually. Responsibility for the implementation and compliance with this policy lies with all staff, the Advisory Board, Stakeholders, learners and apprentices.