Complaints Policy and Procedure
This policy was approved by the APIE Board of Trustees on 26th June 2026.
It will be reviewed in June 2029.
Who is covered by this policy?
Staff and Trustees
What is covered by this policy?
The standalone process for complaints. This policy will be available via www.apartnerineducation.org and in APIEs procedure manual.
Statement
The purpose of this procedure is to investigate and resolve any complaints against A Partner in Education (APIE), or against an employee or volunteer of the charity. Any person or organisation can make a complaint related to APIE. APIE will act promptly to resolve the complaint.
Any person who makes a complaint against APIE, or an employee or volunteer of the charity will be treated with courtesy and in accordance with A Partner in Education’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
All complaints made will be taken seriously, given due consideration and dealt with in a timely manner.
Initial Procedure
1. Any complaint made on the telephone or in person should be reported to the relevant APIE Director at the earliest opportunity, and a note of the date and person receiving the complaint should be recorded.
2. If a complaint is made against the CEO of APIE, the Trustee overseeing complaints should be contacted Marcus Starling (starstar464@yahoo.com).
3. It is hoped that in most instances the complaint can be dealt with at an informal level. The director will contact the complainant to discuss the nature of the complaint to see if it can be resolved informally. The response should aim to satisfy the complainant that their concerns have been taken seriously and refer to any remedial action that is to be taken.
4. If the complainant wishes to pursue the complaint formally, the manager will send them a copy of the Complaints Policy and Procedure and advise them that they should send a written statement laying out the matters which give rise to the complaint.
5. Any written complaint received regarding the work of any project of the APIE should be passed to the relevant APIE Director as soon as possible, usually within a week of receipt. A record of the complaint will be filed by the Country Director UK.
6. If the complainant declines to pursue the complaint the date of the conversation and nature of the complaint will be recorded by the director, and the person complained against will be informed.
7. Internal disciplinary procedures may be put into effect if considered necessary.
Formal Procedure - Stage One
1. When a written complaint is received, the relevant County Director will write a letter acknowledging receipt, this is normally completed within seven days. The person complained against will be informed of the complaint and a meeting will be arranged with the manager to discuss the issues raised. The Trustee with oversight of the complaints process will be informed that a formal complaint has been made.
2. A second letter will be sent to the complainant advising them that a discussion has taken place with the person complained against and offer an opportunity for a formal discussion of the complaint with the Country Director. This meeting should normally take place no more than four weeks after receipt of the written complaint.
3. The complainant will have the right to be accompanied at the meeting by one other person of their choice.
4. If the complaint is resolved at the meeting, the person complained against, and the Trustee with oversight of the complaints process will receive written confirmation that the matter is resolved.
5. If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, they will be asked to give a written statement to this effect to the relevant Country Director, and the complaint will move to stage two.
Formal Procedure - Stage Two
The purpose of this stage is to review the handling of the complaint; to ensure that procedure has been followed correctly, to provide the complainant with an opportunity to contest the decision of the Country Director and to arrive at a final ruling for the resolution of the complaint.
1. The Country Director will inform the Trustee with oversight for the complaints process of the continuing complaint. They will inform the Chair of Trustees and will write to the complainant and person complained against, advising them that the procedure has moved to stage two.
2. The Trustee with oversight of the complaints process will convene a panel comprising a Trustee and a Country Director (not the one who is involved in the complaint). A date will be set for the meeting to take place, within six weeks of the decision to move to stage two.
3. The panel will be provided with all relevant paperwork prior to the date of the meeting. The complainant, person complained against, and the relevant Country Director will be given the opportunity to attend and may be questioned by the panel. The complainant and person complained against can be joined by one person of their choice.
4. The Trustee responsible for the complaints process will produce a written report with the findings of the panel and the decisions reached, which will be conveyed to the Chair of Trustees, the relevant Country Director, the complainant and person complained against. The decision reached about this complaint will then be final.
5. In the event of the complainant being dissatisfied with the outcome of stage two, the Chair of Trustees will inform the complainant that APIE has completed its internal complaints procedure and that they may refer their complaint to external sources. The complainant can also contact the Charity Commission if they have any serious concerns regarding the charity.
Confidentiality
1. All aspects of any complaint will be dealt with in a confidential manner.
2. The complainant and the person complained against will be kept aware of the extent and detail of any information divulged to the other, which will be on a need-to-know basis.
3. The maintenance of the file and administration of the procedure in connection with a complaint will be the responsibility of a named individual, normally the relevant Country Director.
4. The complainant and the person complained against will be given the name and position of the Country Director and be informed that they will be responsible for the conduct of the complaint proceedings.
Note: At the discretion of the relevant Country Director, all service user work of the person complained against may be suspended during investigations.
This policy was approved by APIE Board of Trustees on 26th June 2026.
It will be reviewed in June 2029.