COMPLAINTS POLICY

RATIONALE

To specify the procedure to be used by parents, whānau, staff, and others to express concerns and lay complaints.  This includes concerns or complaints against others, care and protection of any child at the centre, and safety.

To ensure all parties are treated fairly in a case of complaint with the view to a positive resolution.  (ref: Education (ECS) Regulations 2008 R47 Criterion GMA1)

PURPOSE

Families and staff of the centre will be made aware of the process of expressing concerns and laying complaints.

The complaints procedure must be displayed.

Confidentiality is to be respected at all times during any complaints proceedings.

POLICY

• Parents, whānau, staff and others are asked to raise matters of concern immediately to begin a process of finding a solution.
• All concerns and complaints should be brought to the attention of the centre’s Manager.
• All parties must have opportunity to have their say.
• Management practice is to address concerns as they arise from any party.

PROCEDURES

• The Complaints Policy will be displayed, to enable the correct procedure to be used.
• All concerns raised will be discussed with a view to positive resolution.
• All concerns and complaints should be referred to the centre’s Manager.  If it is necessary, a suitable time should be arranged to revisit concern or complaint, allowing time for relevant information to be clarified and to give all parties an opportunity to have their say.
• Where concerns are not able to be resolved with the Manager and concerned parties, a written complaint needs to be submitted.
• Complaints in writing will be submitted to appropriate source:
  • if complaint is about a staff member, go to the Room Leader
  • if complaint is about a Room Leader, go to the Manager.
  • if complaint is about the Manager, go to the Centre Director.
  • If the complaint is about the Service provider or Centre Director go to the Manager.

All parties are to follow the above steps

Contact information:

Island Bay

Manager: Beth Dent

Phone: 04 383 8348

Email: ib-manager@curiousminds.co.nz

Johnsonville

Manager: Nikki Millar

Phone: 04 478 1679

Email: jv-manager@curiousminds.co.nz

Miramar

Manager: Rachael Cornish

Phone: 04 388 8343

Email: mm-manager@curiousminds.co.nz

Queenstown

Manager: Sinead Harrington

Phone: 03 974 4650

Email: qt-manager@curiousminds.co.nz

Centre Director

Aimee Hammond

Phone: 027 309 6602

Email: aimee@curiousminds.co.nz

Service Provider

Vivien Hitchins

Phone: 027 279 5445

Email: vivien@curiousminds.co.nz

• All parties need to be advised of either, the complaint being received and/or need for action.
• All parties must have an opportunity to have their say and assistance will be sought from relevant authorities.  If appropriate, advisory/support people will be involved.  For support from the local MOE office please phone 04 463 8699. For issues requiring staff termination refer to Employment Centre Rules.  Further meeting to be arranged if required.
• The Teaching Council ‘Code of Professional Responsibility’ will be adhered to by all teachers.

The Teaching Council will only become involved when:

• The Employer has dealt with the complaint but the complainant is not satisfied.
• The complainant considers that on reasonable grounds the Employer cannot deal with the issue, e.g. The teacher under investigations is a family member.
• The teacher was employed at the service during the preceding 12 months but no longer is employed by the service.