Complaints and Feedback Policy

Scope: This policy sets out how Adalta Development Ltd (hereafter Adalta) will manage complaints, ensuring that they are dealt with fairly and consistently, as well as acknowledging feedback. We welcome all customer/learner feedback as an opportunity to improve our service delivery.

This policy applies to all Adalta’s customers and learners.

This policy should be followed in conjunction with the relevant procedures and linked policies. These include: Safeguarding Learners policy, Safeguarding Procedures, Whistleblowing policy, Equality and Diversity policy, Malpractice and Maladministration policy and procedure.

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1. INTRODUCTION

At Adalta we aim to provide a professional service to all our customers/Learners, however, we acknowledge that sometimes things go wrong, and our customers may wish to make a complaint. We welcome all feedback, compliments and complaints, from anyone who receives a service from us and is affected by a decision or action taken by us.

Our aim to ensure that anyone wishing to complain or provide feedback can do so easily and that we deal with their concern quickly and fairly.

We accept complaints and feedback from an advocate working on the complainant’s behalf – their employer, or friend but will seek the complainant’s written permission to deal with their advocate.

2. DEFINITION

2.1 Positive Feedback/Compliments – received from our customers/Learners for a job well done that exceeds expectations will be recorded to help us identify where our customers are happy with our service and enable us to share good practice.

2.2 Negative Feedback – when a customer/Learner expresses dissatisfaction about a Service, we will record the complaint and aim to address their concern quickly. Where a concern is raised and Adalta had not been made aware of the issue prior to receiving the complaint, we will record the concern as negative feedback, and we will take this initial opportunity to put things right.

2.3 Formal Complaints – ‘a dissatisfaction about the actions, decisions or failure of our services after Adalta has had the opportunity to put things right’.

2.4 We do not consider the following as a complaint:

  • when we have not been given the chance to put things right.
  • an initial request for information or an explanation of a decision made.
  • a complaint about a service where we have no responsibility e.g. external exam.
  • where we have no contractual/legal relationship e.g. if the complaint is about an employer.
  • about an issue that has already been concluded.

2.5 This policy does not apply when the matter is more appropriate to the Whistleblowing policy and Maladministration and Malpractice policy and procedure.

2.6 Who can complain?

  • Apprentices who are enrolled on an apprenticeship programme.
  • Employers who have employees/apprentices enrolled on an apprenticeship or learning programme.
  • Add in learners on a current Apprenticeship programme, or one that has completed pending final grading

We would not normally accept a complaint from:

  • Former apprentices, unless the complaint is received within eight weeks either; from the end date of the apprenticeship or within 8 weeks from when final grading is awarded.
  • An anonymous source.

3. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

3.1 We aim to resolve issues at the earliest opportunity, so if you are willing to talk to us, we may be able to resolve the matter easily and informally without the need to use the formal complaints procedure.

3.2 If you prefer to make a formal complaint or where our attempt to resolve the matter informally has not resolved the issue; please write to:

  • Vicky Preece Director Adalta Development Ltd, 10 Oak Gates, Egerton, Bolton, Lancashire. BL7 9TQ.
  • Email – vicky@adaltadevelopment.co.uk providing as much detail of your complaint as possible.

3.3 Once in receipt of a formal complaint we will:

  • Acknowledge the complaint within 3 working days by phone/email or letter.
  • Investigate the complaint (the Director) and respond fully within 28 working days where possible (there may be delays if we require information from other sources, but we will keep you informed if this is the case).
  • Record your complaint on Adalta’s central drive which is backed up routinely throughout the day. This ensure that there is an audit trail of your complaint.
  • Close the case if we do not receive a response from the person concerned within 20 working days from the date of our response letter.

3.4. Appealing an outcome of a complaint or the outcome of an assessment (see Section4)

  • An appeal should be made within 10 working days from receipt of the initial investigation report and outcome of the complaint.
  • If you wish to appeal this decision you should include:
  • Full name and contact details.
  • Subject matter.
  • Specific dates/times.
  • Names of people involved.
  • Reasons for the appeal and copies of any relevant documentation.
  • Any other factors for consideration such as extenuating circumstances.
  • Desired outcome.

Adalta as part of the appeals process will:

  • Acknowledge the receipt of the appeal within 10 working days and the awarding body will be notified where applicable.
  • Investigate the appeal. (This will be carried out by the Programme Manager or Company Director; a panel may be formed in order to reach a decision).
  • Complete the review and provide the Learner/customer with a written response within 20 working days and this will be the final route of escalation within Adalta. The Learner will be advised of the outcome e.g. arrangements for reassessment. Or, if the appeal was not upheld, the Learner will be given the reasons why and advised of their right to request a review by the awarding body.

3.5 We will use complaints and other feedback to improve our service.

3.6 If you wish to escalate your complaint to an external agency/appeals process, you must first have exhausted Adalta’s internal complaints process.

4. APPEAL AGAINST AN ASSESSMENT MADE BY ADALTA

4.1 A Learner may appeal against an assessment where Adalta, as an approved centre for the awarding body, has failed to meet the criteria on which its approval was based.  For example:

  • Disagreement with an assessment decision.
  • Unreasonable delay in assessment decisions.
  • Inadequately qualified staff.
  • Inappropriate use of assessment criteria other than those specified in the qualification.
  • Denial of assessment without justifiable cause.
  • Insufficient or misleading information and guidance material.

4.2 The appeal will be considered in line with the procedure and timescales outlined in 3.4 above – to appeal against a complaint.

4.3 Any charges that may be incurred for registering/processing appeals will be refunded should a Learner’s appeal be upheld.

4.4 If the Learner remains unsatisfied with the outcome of the internal appeal to Adalta they can contact:

4.4.1 ESFA (Education and Skills Funding Agency) For Learners whose programme is funded by the ESFA – you can escalate your complaint to the ESFA about how your complaint was handled. Please email or write to them within 3 months of receiving the decision about your complaint from Adalta.

4.4.2 Awarding bodies – complaints escalation
If customers and Learners, including Apprentices, feel that they have strong grounds to escalate their appeal, they can write directly to the awarding body, but only once the internal Adalta process has been exhausted.

Chartered Management Institute
Awarding Body & Compliance
Chartered Management Institute
Management House
Cottingham Road
Corby
Northamptonshire
NN17 1TT

Highfield Qualifications
Highfield House
Heavens Walk
Lakeside
Doncaster
DN4 5HZ

4.4.3 Grounds for an appeal is that a learner feels they were either treated unfairly, and/or that process has not been followed which resulted in them being disadvantaged.

An appeal is not when a learner feels they did not get the result expected so want their assessment to be remarked, and/or to get more feedback from the external end-point assessment organisation.

4.4.4 You should first discuss your intention with Adalta who will provide details of
the appeals process if appropriate. The independent assessment organisation may charge a fee for an Appeal. The fees are applied and retained by the awarding body which is independent of Adalta. Adalta does not benefit financially from any appeal made.

4.5 Final arbitration
The regulators are not appeal bodies and will only arbitrate if evidence is provided. Therefore, anyone approaching the regulators for this purpose should provide written copies of all relevant communications. The regulators will be looking to assess the effectiveness of the awarding body, their policies and procedures.

4.6 Appeals about an End Point Assessment must be made by the learner concerned within 5 working days of receiving their final grading result (fail, pass, merit, distinction). Please give as much information as possible about the appeal, to support the investigation process.

5. EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

5.1 Our policies are developed and delivered in line with our Equality and Diversity Policy.

6. CONFIDENTIALITY & INFORMATION SHARING

6.1 We will only share information as outlined in our Data Privacy Notice.

7. MONITORING & ACCOUNTABILITY

7.1 Monitoring of reports received will be reviewed by the senior management team to ensure that procedures have been followed, that any learning is shared, and any changes required to Adalta’s policy and procedure are made.

8. Review

8.1 We will carry out a fundamental review of this policy every year or sooner subject to legal or regulatory changes; or in response to internal changes.