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| Strategies for handling complaints
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Many families pass through early childhood settings without making a complaint, however providers must have a complaints management policy in place to protect them when a complaint does arise.
Complaints often arise when a family is new to a service, and these disagreements can usually be allayed via clear and open communication about centre policies and operating procedures, sometimes it's just a matter of educating parents about your way of doing things.
Complaints can also come up during times of change; when an educator or director leaves a centre, during renovations or changes to the service operating procedures, when a child changes rooms or experiences a change in their social groupings. Communicating as much information in advance can help prevent complaints, however, having a clear and well understood complaints management procedure is an invaluable tool for giving stakeholders involved in the complaint an equal forum for sharing their views and hopefully working out an appropriate way forward.
Developing a policy for handling complaints
A clear, practical and well-understood complaints handling process is vital for successfully processing and dealing with parent complaints as they arise. While, a complaints handling procedure is a legal requirement it is also a valuable tool for providers and can be used as a reference point when you are working towards a resolution with a family.
While each service needs to develop complaints and grievance handling procedures that reflect the specific needs and circumstances of their service and families, all effective complaints handling procedures will include:
- Strategies to deal with issues quickly
- A clear outline of the steps that will be followed at each stage of managing the complaint
- Procedures for documenting discussions between families, staff and management
- Options for raising concerns with the relevant party. For example, many informal or simple concerns can be raised directly with and managed by the staff member or team involved
- Clear information about how a complaint can be made and who they can contact and raise their concerns with the service or management
- Procedures for keeping the complainant informed of the progress of the complaint
- Procedures for maintaining confidentiality
- Procedures for recording and evaluating the progress of the complaint
- Procedures for evaluating the outcomes of the complaint and for providing recommendations for future policy or practice at the service
- Details for external agencies for a complainant to contact if they feel the service has not resolved their concerns
It is very important that families have easy access to information about your service's complaints handling procedures. This information should be included in the enrolment and orientation procedure, and families need to feel confident that any concerns or issues they may raise with the service will be handled promptly and professionally.
Complaints and grievance handling will be made unnecessarily difficult when families feel anxious or unsure about raising their concerns. Families in this situation may put off stating their concerns until these have become far more emotional and complex than they originally were. Alternatively, families may opt to raise their concerns outside the service where their issues may not be successfully managed, or may choose to remove their child from the service, without ever mentioning their issues. (Reference: Managing Complaints by the former NCAC)
The Importance of Communication
As briefly touched on above the key to successfully reducing and avoiding complaints is communication. Building a communication bridge with families from the moment they contact you is a truly effective way to maintain a good relationship. Providing families with verbal and written advice on your policies and procedures and informing them about their contract with your service, again verbally and in written form, is a great first step.
These initial efforts can be reinforced with regular parental communications via email, social media or the service notice board and through the ready availability of printed out copies of your policies on issues such as meal times, sun safety, sleep, sickness and exclusion policies will ensure everyone is on the same page.
However, it's not enough to expect all the parents and carers to read through your carefully worded paper documents so be sure to reinforce all this paperwork with regular verbal briefings on potential problem issues, such as drop off and pick up times and sickness policies and the other matters which most commonly arise in your service will significantly help. Personalised information via text message and email can also help reinforce these messages.
Remember as well that communication is a two-way street and while the person making the complaint will have a lot to say, it's important to gain feedback from any other parties involved in the complaint. When holding a meeting with parents who have a concern about some area of your service or an experience their child has had keep in mind the following:
- Hold the meeting a time which is convenient for everyone and in a location which is private and preferably away from children.
- Reiterate your complaints management policy, provide the parent a copy and reassure them of your commitment to finding a potential solution.
- Listen without prejudice, take notes, be encouraging and supportive and try not to interrupt. Ask open ending and leading questions so as to gain a full picture of what has happened and take your time.
- Ask the parent whether they can suggest a solution or a way forward. If it is workable then take note and assure them you will get research the possibility and get back to them. If their solution isn't viable then discuss potential alternatives. Again take your time and don't expect to resolve everything in the first meeting.
- Maintain regular communication either by the phone or by email to keep parents informed about what stage you are at in resolving the problem.
- Be sure to spend time with any other parties involved in the complaint, if other staff members are involved remind them they have your support.
- Have a solution which works for everyone in mind as you work your way through the complaint and try and remain as neutral as possible.
- However, if you feel as though the complaint is something you can't resolve then be sure to advise the parent what their legal options are and where they should take their concern to next.
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