Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

 

1.1. Purpose: This policy ensures that Deserving Be􀆩er WA (DBWA) will handle all complaints fairly,
effectively and efficiently. It provides guidance for people who wish to make a complaint.

​

1.2. Scope: This policy applies to all of DBWA paid staff, volunteers and contractors who receive
complaints from the public about DBWA’s staff members and services or our complaint handling
processes.

​

 1.3. Organisational Commitment.

 1.3.1. DBWA will:

• Ensure that the staff at all levels know effective, efficient and fair complaint handling process;

•  Promote a culture that values complaints and their effective resolutions;

•  Ensure ongoing support, directions, training and guidance to all paid and volunteering staff members on complaint handling policies and procedures and continuous improvement;

•  Regularly review and report on complaint trends and issues arising from complaints;

•  Encourage all staff to be alert to complaints and assist those responsible for handling complaints to resolve them promptly and encourage them to make recommendations for system improvement.

​

2. Terminology

• Complaint: An expression of dissatisfaction made to or about DBWA, its services, staff or the handling of a complaint where a response or a resolution is implicitly or explicitly expected or legally required.

•  Complaint handling / management system: All policies, practices, procedures, staff hardware and so􀅌ware used by DBWA in the management of complaints.

•  Dispute: An unresolved complaint escalated either within or outside of DBWA.

•  Feedback: Opinions, comments and expressions of interest or concern, made directly or indirectly, explicitly or implicitly, to or about DBWA, its services or complaint handling system where a response is not explicitly or implicitly expected or legally required.

•  Grievance: A clear formal written statement by an individual staff member about another staff member or a work-related problem.

•  Policy: A statement of instructions that sets out how we should fulfil our vision, mission and goals.

•  Procedure: A statement of instruction that sets out how our policies will be implemented and by whom.

​

3. Receiving Complaints

3.1. Complaint about DBWA staff members and services can be made formally in writing, by phone
or verbally face-to-face to the President or the Chair of the Management Committee. If the
complaint is about a staff member or a service, the President should endeavour to resolve it
internally with the concerned staff member as fairly, efficiently and promptly as possible.

​

3.1.1. The President or the staff member who is responsible for handling complaints will:

 

• Treat people making the complaint with respect;

•  Assist people to make a complaint if needed;

•  Comply with DBWA relevant policies and procedures;

•  Report to the Management Committee and provide regular feedback on the complaint and any issues arising from it;

•  Provide recommendations to the Management Committee on the improvement of the complaint processes and systems;

•  Implement changes arising from the complaint and the analysis of the complaint data.

•  If the issue cannot be resolved internally, guide the complainant to go to external agencieslike either the Equal Opportunities Commission, Fairwork Australia, Australian Human Rights

• Commission, State or Commonwealth Ombudsman depending on the issue.

​

3.2. Guiding principles and effective complaint handling policy must be modelled on the principles of
fairness, accessibility, responsiveness, efficiency and integra􀆟on into the organizational culture.

​

4. Facilitating Complaints

4.1. DBWA is committed to seeking and receiving feedback and complaints about our services,
practices, procedures, systems. Any feedback or complaint will be dealt with in a reasonable
timeframe.

• People making complaints will be provided with information about a complaint handling process and how to access it;

•  The complainant will be listened to and treated with respect by staff and actively involved in the complaint process where possible and appropriate, and provided with reasons for our decisions and any options or review.

​

4.2. No detriment to people who are making complaints.

• DBWA will take all the reasonable steps to ensure that people making complaints are not adversely affected because a complaint is made by them or on their behalf

 

4.3. Anonymous complaints.

• DBWA accepts anonymous complaints if there is a compelling reason to do so and will carry

out a confidential investigation of the issues arising, if there is enough information or
evidence.

​

4.4. Accessibility.

• DBWA will ensure that our systems to manage complaints are easily understood and are

accessible to everybody, particularly for people who may require assistance. If a person
prefers or needs another person or an organization to assist or represent them in making the
complaint. DBWA will communicate with them through the representative if this is their
wish. Anyone can represent a person who is making a complaint with their consent including
an advocate, a family member, a legal or community representative, a member of parliament
or an organisation

​

4.5. Response to complaints.

• Early resolution – where possible, complaints will be resolved at first contact with us;

•  When responding to complaints, staff and volunteers will act in accordance with complaint handling procedures as well as any other internal documents providing guidance on the management of complaints;

•  Staff should also consider any relevant legislation or regulations when responding to complaints and feedback;

•  Unless the complaint has been resolved at the outset, the complaint and its supporting information will be recorded;

•  A unique number / identifier will be signed to the complaint file.

 

4.6. The record of the complaint will document:

•  Contact information of the person who is making the complaint and the date received.

•  Issues raised by the person and making the complaint and the outcomes they want;

•  Any other relevant information; and

•  Any additional support the person making a complaint may require.

 

4.7. Acknowledgement.

• DBWA will acknowledge the receipt of each complaint promptly and preferably within five working days;

• When appropriate DBWA may offer an apology or an explanation;

• DBWA will communicate with the complainant with their choice of medium including email, le􀆩er or other means of communications.

​

5. Assessing and Investigating Complaints

5.1. Initial assessment.

DBWA will assess and confirm whether the issue/s raised in the complaint is/are within our

control. The outcomes sought by the person will also be considered and where there is more
than one issue raised, DBWA will determine whether each issue needs to be separately
addressed.

​

5.2. When determining how a complaint is managed, the following will be considered:

• How serious, complicated or urgent the complaint is;

• Whether the complaint raises issues about people’s health and safety;

• How the person making the complaint is being affected;

• The risks involved if the resolution of the complaint is delayed; and

• Whether a resolution requires the involvement of other organisations.

 

5.3. Investigating the complaint.

DBWA will consider how to manage the complaint a􀅌er assessing it. And may:

• Give the person making a complaint information or explanation;

• Gather information about the issue, area or the person that the complaint is about or

• investigate the claims made in the complaint;

• Tailor actions to each case and consider any statutory requirements;

​

5.4. Determine outcome and provide reasons for decisions.

Following consideration of the complaint and any investigation into the issues raised, DBWA will
contact the person making the complaint and advise them:

• Outcome of the complaint and any action DBWA took;

• Reason/s for our decision;

• Remedy or resolutions DBWA may have proposed or put in place; and

• Any Options for review that may be available to the complainant, such as an internal or external review or appeal.

 

5.4.1. Close the complaint and document and analyse data arising from the complaint

​

5.5. Documenting complaints.

5.5.1. DBWA will keep documents about:

• How complaint is managed;

• The outcome/s of the complaint including whether it or any aspect of it was substantiated,

• any recommendations made to address problems identified and any decisions made on

• those recommendations; and

• Any outstanding actions to be followed up, including analysing any underlying or root causes.

 

5.6. Data Analysis.

5.6.1. DBWA will ensure that outcomes are properly implemented, monitored and reported to
the complainant and the association’s Management Committee.

​

Note: This complaint policy and procedure document is based on the “Model Complaint Handling by
Chari􀆟es and not-for-profits” Complaint Handling by Chari􀆟es and Not-for-Profits.pdf
(volunteeringhub.org.au)