Anyone not satisfied with the level of service should feel able to approach a team member for their concern to be addressed promptly. Our attitude is to resolve all matters informally through a dialogue with all those immediately concerned.

 

Below the policy set outs out how a complaint can be initiated and how we attempt to resolve complaints. At all times, if you have any queries regarding this policy or make a complaint, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Who is this policy for?

 

This policy is for anyone (“You”) who experienced dissatisfaction with YTP, this includes:

 

• apprentices/learners enrolled on a programme of learning

• employers of learners 

• parents or carers of learners  

• visitors, suppliers, or others that engage in business activity

• Staff of YTP

• Board Members of YTP

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The aims of this policy are to:

 

• Protect apprentices/learners

• Help improve the service provided by YTP

• Help reduce risk

• Ensure compliance with any relevant funding agencies, awarding organisations, legislation and guidance 

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Purpose of the policy:

 

• To set out the steps to follow when a complaint is made to us

• To present the expectations of how a complaint will be investigated

• To describe how the outcomes of a complaint will be communicated

 

Who needs to know about the policy and how is it shared?

 

• Apprentices will be made aware of the policy during their course induction 

• Employers of apprentices will be made aware of the policy  in the Contract of Services document

• Employees will be made aware of the policy during their company induction

• Customers and anyone else who has engaged in business activity with us can receive a copy of this policy on request

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Review of the policy

 

We will review the policy on an annual basis to ensure compliance with any relevant funding agencies, awarding organisations, legislation and guidance and may also be reviewed and updated at any time based upon any "lesson learned" or feedback received.

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Types of Complaint

 

What is a complaint?

 

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction (oral or written) with our service or application of our policies/procedures. A complaint could cover:

 

• mistakes or poor service

• unreasonable delay or failure to take any action

• unprofessional behaviour or conduct of our employees

• unfairness and bias

• not following our policies/procedure without communicating the reason

 

Training feedback and complaints

 

• Apprentices should feel confident to provide feedback to their Tutors or raise any concerns during a review

• Employers, Parents and Carers who wish to make a complaint should follow the stages for complaints

• Apprentices, Parents or Carers that wish to discuss a matter regarding an apprentice’s employer are welcome to raise concerns with a YTP Team Member. We may advise you to discuss the matter directly with the apprentice’s employer or help direct you to relevant employment support

• Employers of an apprentice that wish to discuss a matter regarding apprentices’ employment should do this directly with the apprentice or their parent/carer. The training team should be informed if you think this will affect the apprentice’s training and the training team can look to put in place effective support for the apprentice

• If the training team think that feedback or complaint is about a Safeguarding or Prevent issue, they will look to follow the relevant policy/procedures

 

Who can make a complaint?

 

The person directly affected by an action of YTP, an employee of YTP or a representative may act on behalf of the person affected with explicit written permission. Anonymous complaints will be noted, may be acted upon and where possible acknowledged that they have been received, but it is not possible to provide any feedback on the outcome of anonymous complaints.

 

How to make a complaint and the stages of a complaint

 

You can make a complaint either orally or in writing to a YTP employee. The employee will listen and make note of your complaint and will follow the stages below.

 

Timescales for making a complaint: Complaints must be made within 8 weeks of the date of the experience the complaint is about.

 

Where initial complaints are made through public or open publication (e.g., social media, blog, website, or any other written publication) before being expressed to a YTP employee, we reserve the right to request the removal of the publication before addressing the complaint and opening an investigation.

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YTP Complaints

 

Stage 1: Informal and local – initial complaint

 

Most initial (stage 1) complaints may be made orally either in person or by phone to Tutors, or YTP. Alternatively, you may choose to make your complaint in writing. You should expect your complaint to be listened to, or receipt of a written complaint acknowledged promptly. If possible, a resolution will be offered immediately.

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If it is not possible to resolve the complaint immediately the person responding to your complaint may suggest passing on your complaint to a Senior Manager.

 

The Senior Manager may wish to contact you to listen to your complaint again and make notes. You should expect the complaint to be resolved within 5 working days.

 

If a complaint cannot be resolved to your satisfaction at stage 1 it is necessary to make a formal complaint.

 

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Stage 2: formal complaint via YTP – escalation to an appointed Senior Manager

 

Formal complaints must be made in writing either by email or a letter. The request for the

complaint to be escalated to stage 2 must be received within 7 working days of the resolution offered at stage 1.

 

A Senior Manager of the Training Team (different to the Senior Manager at Stage 2) will be assigned to investigate your complaint. Firstly, the Senior Manager will establish why you are not satisfied with the resolution supplied at stage 1 and they may also contact you via telephone, email, or letter to clarify points of your complaint. They will seek the views of employees that you have previously spoken to at stage 1.

 

The Senior Manager will determine whether we have applied our procedures fairly, appropriately, and consistent with our policy.

 

The decision made by the Senior Manager will be notified to you within 7 working days of the formal complaint being received.

 

 

Stage 3: Complaint Appeal via YTP – escalation to a director

 

If you are not satisfied with the response at stage 2 you may request for your complaint to be escalated to stage 3. This request must be made in writing within 7 working days of the notification from the Senior Manager at stage 2.

 

The request must include why you believe the complaint has not been resolved or properly addressed. The executive team member will consider evidence from all aspects of the complaint to date and consider whether your complaint has been addressed correctly and fairly. They may wish to contact you to clarify any existing evidence. New evidence will be considered where it is available.

 

The outcome will be communicated to you within 7 working days of the complaint being escalated. At this point, any decision will be considered final, and no further complaints will be considered on the same matter.

 

Outcomes of a complaint

 

If a complaint is upheld, the notification of the outcome will include the solution we propose. You should expect the outcome to be fair, proportionate, and appropriate – examples may include:

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• An apology

• An explanation of why poor service took place

• An explanation of how a matter has been rectified

• Recommendations to make improvements

 

 

Taking a complaint further

 

We always hope that we can resolve all complaints satisfactorily. However, if you continue to be unhappy with a final response you have the right to refer your complaint to a public regulatory body (e.g. in the case of a training complaint this would be the Education and Skills Funding Agency). Regulators would require evidence that the steps within this Feedback and Complaints Policy have been fully exhausted.

 

All YTP employees have a responsibility for receiving complaints, treating them seriously, and dealing with them promptly and courteously.

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Senior Managers and Directors of YTP have responsibility for resolving a complaint and leading or contributing to complaint investigations.

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All YTP employees have a responsibility to follow the procedures set out in this policy.

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​Details of your complaint will be kept private and secure. Information obtained during a complaint will only be used for the investigation. If the outcome of a complaint is that we need to make improvements, including employee training, then a case study may be made of your complaint – the case study will have all names and details removed and changed to anonymise all participants and the location of the event.

 

In the case, that information is requested by regulatory bodies or the police we will write to notify you.

 

Details of the complaint, evidence from the investigation and the outcome will be stored securely for two years before being destroyed securely.

 

Contact details for making a complaint:

 

Yorkshire Training Partnership

Unit 1, Enterprise Court

Farfield Park

Wath upon Dearne

Rotherham

S63 5DB

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Tel: 01709 871871

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info@yorkshiretrainingpartnership.com