Our commitment to you

The Centre for Separated Families is committed to providing our clients, and others that encounter our work, with a quality service. However, we recognise that there are times when we might not meet your expectations. If you are unhappy about any service that we provide or any aspect of our work, we want to hear from you.

How to make a complaint

There are three possible stages in the complaints process:

Stage One:

The first stage of a complaint is to speak to the individual member of staff or volunteer concerned. If you do not know who that person is, you can write to the Centre for Separated Families at the address below.

Stage Two:

If you are still not satisfied, you can ask for a review of the complaint by the Director. We will attempt to respond within 21 days. If your complaint concerns the Director directly, your complaint will immediately proceed to Stage Three. Please put your complaint in writing.

Stage Three:

If the matter has still not been resolved to your satisfaction you may, within 28 days of receipt of a written response from the charity at the previous stage, ask for the complaint, and the response of the charity, to be heard by a small panel of Trustees or, if this is not practical, the Chair of Trustees or their deputy. We will attempt to respond within 28 days.

Response and redress

Responses to complaints will usually be in writing, although at Stage One a complaint may be easily resolved face to face or over the telephone. Occasionally, a response might be given in person, but that should also be followed up by a letter to complete the formal record.

The options for redress are any, or a combination, of:

• an apology where appropriate;
• an explanation of the events or policy concerned;
• agreeing to change a decision or action;
• agreeing to put right a mistake or the consequences of a mistake;
• a review of a policy or project, or its implementation, to take into account the complaint;
• improving communication to staff or the public to avoid the same grounds for complaint as previously;
• improving staff training to eliminate the root cause of the complaint.

Complaints should be sent to:

The Centre for Separated Families

Coppergate House

16 Brune Street

London

E1 7NJ

Time Limits

You should make your complaint as soon as possible after the event that triggered your complaint occurred. The time limit for complaints is usually six months from the date of the event that triggered your complaint or within six months of you finding out you have reason to complain. There is discretion to waive the time limit where it would be unreasonable to expect you to have complained in time. It must, however, still be possible for us to investigate the complaint.