Branch Complaints Policy 2024

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Branch has been jointly commissioned by Wirral Children’s Services, Public Health and NHS Cheshire and Mersey to become the new central point of access for all emotional health and mental wellbeing support for children and young people, 0-18 years old (up to 25 with SEND) in Wirral.

1.2. Branch is delivered by an Alliance of organisations: Open Door Charity, Koala NW, Utopia, Action for Children and Kooth, and an associate member My Mind CYPMHS Wirral (formerly known as CAMHS). These services are available on Branch as a range of emotional health and mental wellbeing support services for children and young people in Wirral. These services are often referred to as the Branch Alliance.

1.3. In addition to these Alliance organisations, there are partner services on Branch who offer further services for a child or young person’s mental wellbeing and help ensure that there is a service for every child and young person’s mental wellbeing need.

1.4. Every organisation on Branch (this includes Alliance organisations, associate member and partner services) have their own complaints policies and should have clear procedures in place to rectify and learn from complaints and issues that have led to them, to continually improve their service.

2. PURPOSE

2.1. The Purpose of this document is to outline:
• how people can make a complaint or feedback about Branch
• how we provide a fair complaints procedure for anyone wishing to make a complaint
• how we ensure that every organisation within the Branch Alliance knows what to do if a complaint is received about Branch
• how we ensure that all complaints are investigated fairly and in a timely way
• how we ensure that complaints are, wherever possible, resolved and that relationships are repaired; and
• how information is gathered to help improve Branch

2.2. Every organisation in the Branch Alliance has its own complaints policy, and in addition will have and keep updated:

• Safeguarding Policies and Procedures, including clear Escalation, Incident Management and Allegations Management procedures.
• A Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• Safer Recruitment processes.
• Risk Management procedures.

2.3. To ensure that we are delivering the best service that we can, we welcome feedback on any aspect of our work, including complaints, comments, compliments and suggestions. This policy covers complaints only.

2.4. Whilst we always aim to get things right first time, we know that on occasion we may not. If we make a mistake, we will be open and honest about it as soon as possible. We will tell you about our mistake, explain why we think the mistake was made, and tell you how we will do our best to ensure it doesn’t happen again. This applies if you are a child, young person, parent or carer, volunteer, supporter or partner.

2.5. Depending on the severity of the mistake, for example if it affects the safety of a person’s experience of using Branch or causes significant upset or distress, we may give you this information in writing.

2.6. If you are thinking about making a complaint, but aren’t sure if you want to, please talk to any member of staff linked to the service you are receiving support from. They can tell you more about how complaints are dealt with within their organisation.

2.7. Branch is positive about receiving complaints and views them as an opportunity for us to get things right. We are committed to learning and continuous improvement. We use information about mistakes and complaint information constructively to reflect, learn, monitor and improve.

3. HOW CAN I MAKE A COMPLAINT?

3.1. As Branch is delivered by several different organisations, and it connects young people and their families to wider services in Wirral, this complaints policy works alongside the different organisations complaints policies.

3.2. If you or your child/young person has started to receive support from a service that you accessed through Branch, and you have a complaint about that service, please speak to that service. You can speak to one of their staff members or go to that service organisation’s website. Here you will find the complaint’s procedure for that organisation.

3.3. If you have any comments or complaints about the Branch website (this includes the online questionnaire) or with the Branch matching team, we welcome feedback through the following ways:

• In person by talking with the relevant staff member
• By email to our complaints email address [email protected]. This will come through to the Branch matching team.

3.4. There is a three stage complaints procedure for Branch. Please go to Appendix One for the full details. This outlines the steps taken if you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint.

3.5. If you have a serious complaint about Branch, you can raise your complaint directly to the Charity Commission via their online form at Raising Concerns · Starter Portal (charitycommission.gov.uk). Please go to Section 6 in this policy for information on what constitutes a Serious Complaint.

3.6. If you decide you want to withdraw your complaint, you can do so at any time. Please note however, that if the complaint includes information that relates to a safeguarding issue, we would need to continue to take action to prevent harm to a child, young person or vulnerable adult.

4. WHO CAN MAKE A COMPLAINT?

4.1. This policy is intended for anyone who uses Branch as a service. This includes children and young people who use our services, parents or carers of the children and young people, our partners and supporters.

4.2. Any staff members employed by Alliance organisations, associate member and partner services, should make any complaints through their internal complaints/grievance policy and procedures. Any concerns of serious wrongdoing of staff within the organisation, for example criminal offences, malpractice/misconduct or health and safety breaches, should be raised via that organisation’s whistleblowing policy. See Section 7 for full details.

4.3. Complaints can be made by children, young people or adults. Children and young people under the age of 18 have the same right to make a complaint as adults have. There is no set age for being able to make a complaint.

4.4. If you don’t want to make a complaint yourself, you can ask someone, such as a parent or trusted adult, to make a complaint on your behalf. Where possible we would try and confirm with you to ensure that you are happy for the complaint to be made, and that it reflects your views. We may ask for this in writing – you can send this via email.

5. WHAT CAN YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT?

5.1. A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction with any aspect of Branch.

5.2. This policy sets out Branch’s process for responding to complaints. The process is intended to be as clear, fair, consistent and timely as possible.

5.3. If you are a child or young person and have concerns about your own safety or protection (safeguarding concerns), please tell a member of staff or ask for the service’s Designated Safeguarding Lead’s contact details. If you are in immediate danger, please call 999.

5.4. If you are a parent/carer or professional and believe a child or young person is at risk of harm or abuse, please report it to the Wirral Integrated Front Door team. You can call them Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm on 0151 606 2008, or
0151 677 6557 outside of these hours. In an emergency, please call 999.

5.5. If any complaint comes to the Branch matching team, and it is of a safeguarding nature, this will be actioned immediately as outlined in Branch’s safeguarding policy.

5.6. Any complaints or allegations against/involving the Branch matching team will be taken seriously and will be actioned as per the Open Door Charity’s policy on Managing Allegations Against Staff and Volunteers. This is stored in Open Door Charity’s shared drive.

5.7. Any complaints or allegations against/involving staff members associated with other organisations listed on Branch, will be actioned by that relevant organisation, following their policies and procedures on Managing Allegations Against Staff and Volunteers. Please visit that organisation’s website for more information.

6. WHAT IS A SERIOUS COMPLAINT?

6.1. The Charity Commission for England and Wales defines a ‘serious’ complaint as one concerning an action that could cause ‘serious risk of harm to the charity or the people it was set up to help’. They provide the following list of such actions:

• a charity not following the law, with damaging consequences to its reputation and public trust in charities generally
• serious harm to the people the charity helps or other people who come into contact with the charity through its work
• a person or organisation unlawfully receiving significant financial benefit from a charity
• criminal, illegal or terrorist activity
• a charity set up for illegal or improper purposes
• a charity losing significant amounts of money
• a charity losing significant assets, for example land or buildings

6.2. If you have a serious complaint about Branch, you can raise your complaint directly to the Charity Commission via their online form at Raising Concerns · Starter Portal (charitycommission.gov.uk).

7. WHAT IS NOT COVERED IN THIS POLICY?

7.1. This policy is not for staff working on/with Branch. Staff with a complaint should follow the relevant policy within their organisation, such as:

• Whistleblowing Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Safeguarding Children and Young People
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults
• Managing allegations of abuse by a staff member or volunteer

7.2. As mentioned in point 3.2 of this policy, any complaints about the support you or your young person is receiving from a service listed on Branch, must be dealt with by that organisation. Please speak to a member of staff for that organisation and follow their organisation’s complaints policy.

8. KEY PRINCIPLES OF THIS POLICY

8.1. We encourage children and young people who use our services, their parents/ carers, our volunteers, partners and supporters to tell us if they aren’t happy with our work. We will treat anyone making a complaint with dignity and respect. We will take your concerns seriously.

8.2. Complaints for the Branch team will be resolved as swiftly, and as far as possible, informally, by those who are responsible for the relevant area of work. Whenever there is a delay for whatever reason, we will let you know quickly and tell you when you will hear from us next. Any complaints for the services you or your young person are receiving support from, will be processed via their complaint’s procedure as quickly as possible.

8.3. Through the implementation of this policy and procedure, we will ensure there is a fair, clear and consistent process which sets out three stages for considering complaints. This includes, as far as possible, a consistent contact person who will update you throughout the process.

8.4. We will respect confidentiality throughout the process. Only those involved in looking into the complaint will know about it.

8.5. If you need help to make a complaint, please get in touch with us by any of the channels listed in point 3.3 of this policy and we will help you to find the right support needed for you to make your complaint.

8.6. If you decide you want to withdraw your complaint, you can do so at any time. Please note however, that if the complaint includes information that relates to a safeguarding issue, we would need to continue to take action to prevent harm to a child, young person or vulnerable adult.

9. MAKING SURE OUR COMPLAINTS POLICY IS EFFECTIVE

9.1. We want our complaints policy to be effective. We will monitor and review complaint information to make sure that the correct procedure has been followed.

9.2. All complaints for Branch will be logged and monitored by the Branch Alliance. Regular audits will take place to retain oversight on themes and learning. Furthermore, trustees and management from Open Door Charity will retain oversight of any Branch complaints as part of Open Door Charity’s governance. They will make sure we are learning from complaints and making any necessary changes to the way we work.

9.3. This document may be reviewed at any time at the request of management but will automatically be reviewed every three years or sooner in response to new national guidance and/or legislation.

APPENDIX ONE – THREE STAGE COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
Please note that this is for any complaints regarding the Branch website and/or the matching function of Branch (this includes the online questionnaire and any direct contact with the Branch matching team). If you have any complaints regarding the support you, or your young person, is receiving from a service matched with via Branch, please raise your complaint with that service and follow their complaints procedures.

Stage 1: Local resolution
• Wherever possible, complaints will be resolved swiftly and informally by the relevant manager. If the manager is involved in the complaint, we will ask another independent manager
• Where a safeguarding concern is raised via a complaint process, Branch’s safeguarding procedure will be followed. A staff member will talk about this with you if your complaint involves a safeguarding issue
• It is our aim that all Stage 1 ‘local resolution’ complaints will be resolved 10 working days after we receive the complaint. If we are unable to resolve the complaint in this timeframe, we will tell you as quickly as possible and let you know when you can expect to hear from us.
Stage 2: Appeal
• If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the Stage 1 complaint, please email us to tell us why you are unhappy within 14 days of receiving the Stage 1 outcome.
• A relevant independent staff member (appointed by or delivered by Open Door Charity’s Deputy Charity Director) will be assigned to resolve the complaint appeal. This will initially involve considering reasons for the appeal and to decide if further review is required.
• If further review (known as an ‘investigation’) is required, an investigating officer will be appointed. We aim to complete the investigation as quickly as possible. We will keep you informed as our investigation progresses and tell you how long we estimate the process will take
• We will give you our decision in relation to the appeal, including any findings and conclusions which led to the decision, in writing.
Stage 3: Final Appeal
• If you remain dissatisfied following a Stage 2 investigation, please tell us in writing that you remain unhappy within 14 days of receiving the written Stage 2 decision notification.
• Your complaint will be raised with Open Door Charity’s trustees, and they will consider and action your appeal as quickly as possible.
• The final appeal stage will involve both a reconsideration of the original complaint and a review of how Branch’s complaints policy and procedure was applied.
• The outcome of the final appeal will be provided in writing to the complainant (person making the complaint).
Stage 3 final appeal decisions are final

10. Options after appeal

10.1. The Charity Commission regulates registered charities in England and Wales. They make sure that charities are accountable, well-run and meet their legal obligations. The Commission will receive complaints related to suspected serious abuse or illegal activity at a charity. Further information is available on the gov.uk site, using this link: https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-charity

10.2. The Information Commissioners Office is The UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, making people aware about their data protection and information rights. If you have a concern about Branch’s information rights practices, you can report it directly via telephone on 0303 123 1113 or on their website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

11. Confidentiality, GDPR and data protection

11.1. This policy complies with the requirements of The Equality Act (2010) and is in accordance with Branch’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

11.2. We will only tell those people involved in resolving your complaint about it. Sometimes we may need to share your complaint or concerns with other individuals to understand the situation fully. If you are a child or young person making a complaint, we will talk with you about any concerns we have for your wellbeing that might make it necessary to tell any other adults.

11.3. After the complaint is resolved, we will keep a summary on record, using relevant data protection protocols. If you use our services and have a file, the complaint record will be placed on your file.

11.4. We use anonymised information from complaints in our audits to make sure we learn and improve our services.