Complaints and Appeals Policy

 

Purpose

This policy and procedure is to provide clear and practical guidelines to ensure that complaints and appeals lodged with Creative Safety Initiatives can be resolved, equitably and efficiently, in accordance with the principles of natural justice. The Complaints and Appeals Policy is there to manage and respond to allegations involving the conduct of Creative Safety Initiatives, its Trainers, Assessors or other staff, a third party providing services on Creative Safety Initiatives’ behalf, its Trainers, Assessors or other staff or Students of Creative Safety Initiatives.

Definitions

Complaint: Include, but are not restricted to, matters of concern to discrimination; and sexual harassment or the way the person feels as though they are being treated differently and inappropriately

 Appeal: to dispute an academic result

Natural Justice is concerned with ensuring procedural fairness.

 Decisions and processes should be free from bias:

  • all parties have the right to be heard
  • the Respondent has a right to know of what s/he is accused
  • all parties are told the decision and the reasons for the decision

 Policy

Creative Safety Initiatives acknowledges that a Student or a member of the public, who has a complaint or appeal, has the right to raise the complaint or appeal and expect that every effort will be made to resolve it in accordance with this policy, without prejudice or fear of reprisal or victimisation. The person has the right to present the complaint or appeal formally as well as in writing.

Creative Safety Initiatives will manage all complaints and appeals fairly, equitably and as efficiently as possible.

Creative Safety Initiatives will encourage the parties to approach the complaint or appeal with an open mind and to resolve problems through discussion and conciliation. Where a complaint or appeal cannot be resolved through discussion and conciliation, Creative Safety Initiatives acknowledges the need for an appropriate external and independent person to mediate between the parties. The parties will be given the opportunity to formally present their case to the independent person. Cost of the third party to provide mediatation will be at the expense of the party who wishes to engage the third party.

Confidentiality will be maintained throughout the process of making and resolving complaints. Creative Safety Initiatives seeks to protect the rights and privacy of all involved and to facilitate the return to a comfortable and productive learning environment.

A copy of this Policy is available to all students and staff via Creative Safety Initiatives, is also available in the Student Handbook and www.csisafety.com.au under the “for Students” TAB.

Where complaints or appeals have been received, Creative Safety Initiatives must securely keep evidence of how the matter was dealt with and the outcome (including the timeframes). Creative Safety Initiatives will use this information received via any complaint to review Creative Safety Initiatives’ processes and practices to ensure the issue doesn’t happen again.

Procedure

 Should a complaint or appeal be lodged, the following steps are to be followed:

  1. If appropriate and possible, the issue should discuss with the person involved to try and resolve it verbally.
  2. If no resolution is reached the complainant should discuss the issue with their Trainer/Supervisor/Manager to see if it can be resolved.
  3. If still no resolution can be reached, or the issue is not related to a fellow student or a Trainer, the Student must put the following information relating to the complaint or appeal in writing using the Complaints or Appeals Form. For a copy of the Complaint or Appeals form please contact the Creative Safety Initiatives office or it can be located at www.csisafety.com.au under the “For Students” TAB. The Student can attention the letter to Complaints and Appeals- Creative Safety Initiatives- Po Box 361 Dickson ACT 2602.
  4. The Director will be notified of the complaint or appeal.
  5. If appropriate, the person making the complaint should bring the complaint or appeal to the attention of the trainer within seven (7) days of the issue taking place.
    1. If the person making the complaint is not a student but a member of the public then the complaint will be dealt with by a member of the senior staff. This process must commence within forty eight (48) hours from the time of receiving the complaint in writing. A response/acknowledgment must be presented within twenty (20) days.
    2. The senior staff member must review the complaint and arrange a time for all parties to formally present their side/version of events. This should be arranged at separate times, ensuring neither party faces prejudice or fear of reprisal or victimisation.
  6. Once all parties have had a chance to present their information, the senior member of staff will provide a written response to all parties confirming the outcome of the complaint within the twenty (20) day period.
  7. Should the issue still not be resolved to the satisfaction of the person making the complaint there is an option to introduce a third party. All parties will be given the opportunity to formally present their case. The time frame for this process may vary but should take no longer than twenty (20) days. Cost of the third party to provide meditation will be at the expense of the party who wishes to engage the third party.
  8. If any party is still not happy with external mediation, they may take their complaint to the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA- https://www.asqa.gov.au/complaints) or other relevant body.
  9. Where Creative Safety Initiatives considers more than sixty (60) calendar days are required to process and finalise the complaint or appeal, Creative Safety Initiatives will inform the complainant or appellant in writing, including reasons why more than sixty (60) calendar days are required, and regularly updates the Complainant or Appellant on the progress of the matter.
  10. All documentation relating to complaints or appeals should be securely archived for audit purposes and registered in the Complaints Register. Documentation regarding complaints or appeals are to be filed in Creative Safety Initiatives’ compliance drive.

 

Supporting Documents

Complaint Form

Appeals Form