HSCS: 4.20, 4.21
At Willow Den we believe that parents are entitled to expect courtesy and prompt, careful attention to their individual needs and wishes. We hope that parents are always happy with the service provided for children and families. We also understand there may be times when something goes wrong, or the service doesn’t meet expectations. To ensure the service we provide is the best it can be, we encourage parents to voice their appreciation and their concerns. This lets us know what we are doing well, and what we can improve on.
We record all compliments and share these with staff.
We welcome any suggestions from parents on how we can improve our services and will give prompt and serious attention to any concerns that parents may have. Any concerns will be dealt with professionally and promptly to ensure that any issues arising from them are handled effectively and to ensure the welfare of all children, enable ongoing cooperative partnership with parents and to continually improve the quality of the nursery.
We have a formal procedure for dealing with complaints where we are not able to resolve a concern. Where any concern or complaint relates to child protection, we follow our Child Protection Policy.
Complaints Procedure
Stage 1
If anyone has a concern or any queries regarding the care or early learning provided by the nursery, we encourage them to talk to the child’s Key Worker in the first instance. If this is not possible or relevant you can contact a senior member of staff through the online nursery management system or you can also make contact through admin@willowden.scot.
If concerns are related to HR, administration, finance, or office related incidents, please contact finance@willowden.scot.
We will acknowledge the complaint within 3 working days and will follow up with a phone call within 7 days to discuss the complaint or concerns.
Stage 2
If the issue remains unresolved or you feel you have received an unsatisfactory outcome, then we encourage you to present your concerns as a formal complaint to the nursery manager or relevant member of the management team. For HR, administration, finance or office related incidents please contact our Head of Finance, louise@willowden.scot.
If we cannot reach a resolution at this stage, an investigation will take place into the complaint by the Multi Site Manager (or a member of the Senior Management Team for HR, administration, finance or other office related incidents). We will communicate the outcome of the investigation to you within twenty working days (this allows time for staff who are not available due to leave to return to work) with the aim of reaching a resolution. The investigating Manager will document the complaint fully and the actions taken in relation to it in the complaints record.
Stage 3
If the matter is still not resolved, the investigating manager will hold a formal meeting between all parties involved to establish the reasons the complaint is unresolved and determine any further action. Staff will make a record of the meeting and document any actions. All parties present at the meeting will review the accuracy of the record and be asked to sign to agree it and receive a copy. The outcome of this stage will signify the conclusion of the procedure.
Stage 4
Please be aware that individuals can contact the Care Inspectorate at any time they have a concern, including at all stages of the complaints procedure are given information on how to contact them. The Care Inspectorate is the registering authority for nurseries in Scotland and investigates all complaints that suggest a provider may not be meeting the requirements of the nursery’s registration.
If the matter cannot be resolved to their satisfaction, then parents have the right to raise the matter with the Care Inspectorate. Parents are made aware that they can contact the Care Inspectorate at any time they have a concern, including at all stages of the complaints procedure and are given information on how to contact them. The Care Inspectorate is the registering authority for nurseries in Scotland and investigates all complaints that suggest a provider may not be meeting the requirements of the nursery’s registration.
Care Inspectorate – Contact Us
Telephone contact details for the Care Inspectorate: 0345 600 9527 Monday to Friday 09:00 – 16.00 or email concerns@careinspectorate.gov.scot
Headquarters, Compass House, 11 Riverside Drive, Dundee, DD1 4NY
Record Keeping
A record of complaints will be kept online in our secure drive. The record will include the name of the complainant, the nature of the complaint, date and time complaint received, action(s) taken, result of any investigations and any information given to the complainant including a dated response.
Parents will be able to access this record if they wish, however, all personal details relating to any complaint will be stored confidentially and will only be accessible by the parties involved. Care Inspectorate inspectors will have access to this record at any time during visits to ensure actions have been met appropriately.
