PREAMBLE: This represents the ‘philosophy’ to be used when service users of Life Story wish to make a complaint. Life Story reserves the right to call upon an outside mediator for consultation - mediation for both the complainant and the complained against. It is our intention to offer support to both parties through the complaints procedure.
1.1 The overall purpose of this procedure is to provide a means by which clients, trainees, volunteers and professionals associated with the Life Story Therapeutic Centre may submit a complaint(s) and that the complaints(s) may receive due consideration by means of internal and/or external investigation.
1.2 The complaint will usually be made under the uspices of a breach in the Code of Ethics and Practice of the British Association for Counselling (1998) or the ethical guidelines of the practitioner in question in the event that the nature of the service is not ‘counselling’.
1.3 The complaints process seeks to clarify the nature of the complaint and to seek grounds for resolution of which sanctions may be imposed.
1.4 All practitioners at Life Story must adhere to a Code of Ethics and practice. Should the Code of Ethics and practice fall outside of the British Association for Counselling, the practitioner must submit a copy of this code to the Trustees of Life Story (eg Code of Ethics and practice of a section of the United Kingdom Council of Psychotherapy).
1.5 The tustees must respond to a complaint within six weeks of receipt.
1.6 A formal complaint should be made within five years of the date of the alleged incident or issue.
1.7 All complaints will be treated under the Ethics of Confidentiality. Only the Trustees of Life Story, and the parties concerned will be made aware of the details of the complaint. If necessary, the BACP or other external body may also be made aware of any details should this be deemed legally necessary.
2.1 Practitioners have a duty to report to the Trustees of Life Story any professional misconduct breached by a peer and to initiate a complaints procedure
2.2 Life Story practitioners who are convicted of a criminal offence or, if successful civil proceedings are brought against them - must inform the Trustees of Life Story (see: 2.4).
2.3 The Trustees may inform an external body of a complaint which has been upheld.
2.4 Complaints should be directed to: The Chair of Trustees, Life Story Therapeutic Centre, 17 Eldon Square, Reading, Berkshire RG1 4BJ. The Chair will inform the Associates of the complaint.
3.1 Upon receiving a complaint from a client or peer, both parties will be made aware of the complaint and will be sent a copy of this Complaint Procedure.
3.2 Complaints should be directed to: The Chair of Trustees, Life Story Therapeutic Centre, 17 Eldon Square, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 4BJ. The Chair will inform the Associates of the complaint.
3.3 In the event that Life Story is unable to resolve the complaint, consultation with external bodies (eg the British Association for Counselling and |Psychotherapy) will be sought.
3.4 Where a complaint is upheld, the Trustees of Life Story will consider sanctions.
3.5 The Trustees may inform an external body of a complaint which has been upheld
SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND PERIODIC REVIEW
