Purpose and scope
The complaints and appeals policy and process provides direction for responding to and managing client complaints and appeals. This policy should be read in conjunction with the Archdiocesan Complaints Policy and serves as a complement to the Archdiocesan Complaints Management Policy.
The policy applies to complaints and appeals relating to IFE staff and the services provided by IFE. Where there are discrepancies between this policy and the Archdiocesan Complaints Management Policy, the Archdiocesan policy takes precedence.
Complaint
refers to a problem or concern relating to the conduct of IFE staff or students or relating to IFE’s operations or services. These may include course materials or processes, quality of teaching, training facilities, discrimination, sexual harassment and other issues which may arise.
Appeal
refers to a disagreement with an assessment decision, or with the outcome of a complaint. Grounds for an appeal in relation to assessment may include insufficient evidence being considered when making an assessment decision or a belief that another trainer and assessor could reach a different decision.
Responsibility
Responsibility for the policy and monitoring compliance with its implementation by all IFE staff rests with the Director, IFE.
Policy
IFE is committed to quality training and the welfare of learners, clients and staff. IFE treats complaints and appeals as important avenues for supporting learner and client satisfaction and for monitoring IFE services to ensure high and consistent standards in training and assessment.
The following principles guide IFE in managing complaints and appeals:
Visible
IFE will ensure that learners are aware of the policy and of their options for providing feedback, making complaints or appealing a decision made by IFE.
Accessible
IFE will ensure that processes for providing feedback, making complaints or appealing a decision are accessible and clear, and that learners and clients are supported in accessing and using the processes for making a complaint or appealing a decision.
People-focused
IFE will treat persons making a complaint or appealing a decision with respect at all times and will take all reasonable steps to ensure complaints and appeals can be raised without fear of retribution.
Responsive, fair, transparent and accountable
IFE will respond to complaints and appeals promptly and will prioritise resolution of the matter in accordance with the level of risk, seriousness and urgency of the issues raised. Complaints and appeals will be managed objectively in an unbiased manner. All parties to a complaint or appeal are to be afforded procedural fairness.
All IFE staff are expected to be committed to this policy and its implementation. Those responsible for managing complaints and appeals processes are held accountable for meeting their responsibilities.
Evaluation and continuous improvement
IFE will review feedback, complaints and appeals and use these as valuable opportunities for organisational improvements. This evaluation and continuous improvement process will also be applied to the complaints and appeals process itself to ensure the effectiveness of the process.
Complaints Process
- A complaint may be raised informally (in person, by email or by phone) or formally by submitting an IFE Complaints and Appeals Form available from the IFE website at www.ife.qld.edu.au. The IFE Director will assign a suitable staff member to assist clients who need assistance in managing the process or completing the form if required. All documentation submitted will be treated confidentially in line with the Privacy Management Policy.
- IFE staff will comply with relevant Policies and Procedures in managing complaints.
- IFE will manage complaints by allocating one or more independent review persons who have not been involved in the issue to this point to hear the complaint. The complainant will have the right to present their case to this independent review person (or persons) and may be supported by a support person when they do so. If another person is involved in the complaint (e.g. the complaint is about an IFE staff member or another learner), the reviewer may also seek to interview the other person involved. The IFE will ask the complainant for permission to raise the matter with the other person involved. If this permission is not given, the complaint may not be able to be addressed.
- Each formal complaint and its outcome will be recorded in writing. Details of all formal complaints will be securely maintained in a Register of Complaints and Appeals. Clients making a complaint will be provided with a written statement of any formal complaint outcomes, including reasons for any decisions reached.
- IFE will take appropriate steps to mitigate the likelihood of reoccurrence by reviewing the complaint, context and circumstances to identify opportunities for organisational improvements.
- A client who is not satisfied with the outcome may lodge an appeal using the appeals process.
Appeals Process
- All appeals must be raised through the formal appeals process to ensure full documentation of the process.
- Clients and learners may raise an appeal in writing with the IFE Director by submitting an IFE Complaints and Appeals Form available from the IFE website at www.ife.qld.edu.au. All assessment appeals must be received within one month of results being issued. All appeals will be managed fairly and equitably and as efficiently as possible, usually within 15 working days.
- IFE will manage assessment appeals by reviewing the assessment. If there is a case for review, a suitably qualified, independent assessor will be employed by the IFE to re-assess or conduct another assessment. The IFE may seek the advice of independent experts for any aspects of this process.
- IFE will manage appeals to outcomes for complaints in line with the Archdiocesan Complaints Management Policy. IFE will appoint an independent third party outside of the IFE to review the complaint and its outcome.
- Each appeal and its outcome will be recorded in writing. Details of all formal complaints will be securely maintained in a Register of Complaints and Appeals. The IFE will take appropriate steps to mitigate the likelihood of reoccurrence. Clients and learners will be provided with a written statement of any formal complaint outcomes, including reasons for any decisions reached.