Family Rights Group Complaints Procedure

Family Rights Group is committed to be an excellent organisation, whose services reflect the organisation’s principles and practices. We involve families and practitioners in steering the direction of the organisation and we listen and respond to the views of our service users, so that we can continue to improve our service. We therefore aim to ensure that:

1. it is as easy as possible to make a complaint;

2. we treat as a complaint any clear expression of dissatisfaction with our service which calls for a response;

3. we treat it seriously whether it is made by telephone, letter, or email or in person;

4. we deal with it quickly and politely;

5. we respond accordingly - for example, with an explanation, or an apology where we have got things wrong, and information on any action taken etc;

6. we learn from complaints, use them to improve our service, and monitor them at our Board.

How do you make a complaint?

1. You can make a complaint by telephone, letter, fax, email or in person. Please tell us:

• how you would like us to respond, providing relevant contact details.

• if you are writing or phoning on behalf of someone else.

2. You can make a complaint directly to a named member of staff, or their service manager.

• To contact the manager of the advice service, write to Mary-Ann Foxwell at Family Rights Group or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• To contact the manager of the advocacy service, write to Pam Ledward at Family Rights Group or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• To contact the office and finance manager, write to Steve Caldwell at Family Rights Group or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• To contact the deputy chief executive and legal adviser, write to Bridget Lindley at Family Rights Group or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

3. We will reply within ten working days of receiving a complaint. If it will take longer than this, we will write to explain why. We will not ask you to wait any longer than a maximum of 20 working days (four weeks).

4. If you do not have the name of the relevant person/department, or wish to contact the Chief Executive, please write to or phone: Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive, Family Rights Group, The Print House, 18 Ashwin Street, London E8 3DL; Tel: 020 7923 2628 email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

5. If you are unhappy with our response, you or a representative can write directly to the Chief Executive and explain why you are not satisfied. The Chief Executive will reply within two weeks.

6. If you are not satisfied with the Chief Executive’s response, you can contact the Chair of the Trustees, Ms Rita Stringfellow (at the same address). The chair (or in their absence the vice chair) will investigate and respond within three weeks. Alternatively you can contact the Charity Commission for further advice: Tel: telephone 0870 333 0123 or visit www.charity-commission.gov.uk.

7. We know that you might want to complain in a different language. If so, we’ll try to help by translating the policy if possible, and by using language line throughout the process.