Complaints Policy

This policy summarises the procedure to be followed to process complaints received from clients /apprentices / stakeholders regarding the quality of service delivered by Michael Streete Foundation.

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction from you about us, our products or services, or the complaints-handling process itself where it is clear that you expect us to identify the cause of the problem and to take some kind of remedial action.

We aim to ensure that:

• Making a complaint is as easy as possible
• We treat a complaint as a clear expression of dissatisfaction with our service which calls for an immediate response
• We deal with it promptly, politely and, when appropriate, confidentially
• We respond in the right way, for example by giving you an explanation or an apology where we have got things wrong, and letting you know what action we’ve taken
• We learn from complaints and feedback and we use them to improve our service. The formal complaints procedure is intended to ensure that all complaints are handled fairly, consistently and wherever possible resolved to the complainant’s satisfaction. We aim to resolve all matters as quickly as possible. However, inevitably some issues will be more complex and therefore may require longer to be fully investigated.

Our Complaints Process:

1. Complaints may originate from learners, employers, assessors or other stakeholders directly or indirectly. Complaints may be received either verbally or in writing.
2. Complaints must be reported/directed to Michael Streete Foundation by emailing or contacting Head Office on 02078372894. Upon receipt we will record the details of the complaint on the appropriate sections of a Complaints Record Form for appropriate action.
3. We’ll acknowledge your complaint within two working days and let you know who will be dealing with it. We will appoint an appropriate person to investigate the matter on your behalf.
4. Every effort will be made to resolve the complaint and to provide a full response to the complainant within eight working days. Where it may take longer to resolve complaints within eight working days, we’ll keep you fully informed.
5. Once we have completed our investigation, we will explain what went wrong and why, apologise when it is appropriate and take action to remedy the situation as soon as possible.
6. Once the complaint has been resolved the complaint form will be completed accordingly and a final letter / email sent to the complainant with the outcome.
7. The CEO, Kereen Streete, will be responsible for maintaining all records relating to a complaint, using an appropriate Complaints Record Form as the basis for monitoring the progress made in resolving the complaint. Records will include all written complaints received, and copies of all statements from relevant parties.
8. Completed Complaints Record Forms will be reviewed on a regular basis for apparent adverse trends in service quality as part of the Management Review of the Quality System and to monitor equality, diversity and inclusion.
9. Complaints will be reviewed on a yearly basis by the CEO and an analysis of complaints will be compiled. Our complaints policy will be reviewed annually.
10. The CEO will liaise with the staff to discuss continuous improvements and identify trends. Any actions to be put into place to ensure business practices are having a positive impact on complaints.

Appeal or Escalation

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive to your complaint, you can take the matter further by contacting the CEO by emailing teamleader@msfdn.com

The CEO will take a full review of the original complaint, the evidence collated during the investigation and the initial response.

Following our appeal stage, if your complaint is linked to apprenticeship training you wish to escalate your complaint you may contact the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). Employers may make a complaint either on their own behalf or on behalf of their apprentice where permission has been given. Apprentices and their employers can contact the apprenticeship helpline regarding apprenticeship concerns, complaints and enquiries by calling 08000 150 600 or by emailing helpdesk@manage-apprenticeships.service.gov.uk in the first instance.

There is also additional guidance on complaints published by the ESFA on the GOV.UK website:
https://www.gov.uk/complain-further-education-apprenticeship

You can also email your complaint to complaints.ESFA@education.gov.uk
The complaints record form can be found below.

What is Gift Aid?

Gift Aid does not cost you a penny more, but can add an additional 25p to every £1 you donate. When MSFDN - Michael Streete Foundation receives a donation from a UK taxpayer, we're entitled to claim an amount of tax (calculated at the basic rate of income tax in that year) paid on that donation. Once you have given your permission for us to do this on your behalf, there is no need for you to do anything else.

All that is required is that you must be a taxpayer and that would have paid or will pay sufficient Income and/or Capital Gains Tax to cover all the Gift Aid claimed on all your donations in that tax year. Please note that it is your responsibility to pay any difference.

The amount of tax we claim will be 25% of the total value of your donations in that tax year. Furthermore, if you are a higher taxpayer, you are also entitled to claim the difference between the basic rate which we will claim and the amount of tax you have actually paid. For further details on how you can do this, please contact your tax office. If your tax situation changes and your gifts will no longer be eligible for the Gift Aid scheme please contact us and we will amend your record accordingly.

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