Complaints Procedure

 
Introduction 
 
The following is an outline of our complaints process. Independent Advocacy welcomes your complaints, we see it as a great way to improve the service we provide to you and our organisation as a whole. 
 
We support your right to make complaints, as well as your right to ask a person you trust to assist you with the complaint process. 
 
Complaints can be made in many ways; verbally, or in writing via Email or Snail Mail. 
 
Stage One 
 
Wherever possible the complaint should be resolved at the initial point of contact by the person receiving the complaint. This is to be recorded as a Stage One Complaint. 
 
Stage Two 
 
The complainant will be informed of the complaints process. 
 
The complaint will be recorded in writing (with assistance provided to the person to do so if necessary) and submitted to the Advocate/Coordinator. If an IAT staff person/member records the complaint the information recorded shall be shown and/or read back to the compainant for their approval. 
 
The Advocate/Coordinator will be acknowledged by the Advocate/Coordinator within 5 working days of its' submission. 
 
The Advocate/Coordinator will make contact with the complainant to seek further information and attempt to reach a resolution of the issue. 
 
Stage Three 
 
The Advocate/Coordinator will submit the complaint to the Management Committee for investigation and resolution, and advise the complainant of this submission in writing. 
 
The Management Committee will convene a Complaints sub-committee to address the complaint and reach a resolution. 
 
The complainant will be informed of the Management Committees decision and approve/not approve the resolution. 
 
Stage Four 
 
Should the complainant not agree with the decision reached by the sub-committee, they will be offered the options of seeking a independently mediated outcome. 
 
Stage Five 
 
The complainant will be provided with information about: 
  • The National Disability Complaints Resolution and Referral Service
  • IAT's funding bodies and their complains mechanisms
 
(Complaints to these bodies will not be submitted by IAT staff or management committee on behalf of the complainant due to conflict of interest. The person will be assisted to source an independent person to support them with these processes if necessary) 
 
To download our complaints policy ias a PDF file click here, or see our library page.