Family Matters Institute (FMI) is committed to providing high quality services to its clients, but understands that sometimes clients may on occasion feel that they have not received the level of service that they would expect.  Complaints against procedures and or individual members of Family Matters Institute staff should be, in the first instance, submitted within one month of the incident in question.  If complaints are concerning portfolios or training they should be submitted within one month of receiving marked and verified portfolio results back.

Complaints can be made verbally to the member of our team or their manager.  The member of staff will record your complaint and inform the Chief Executive of its nature and what action has been taken to resolve it.    However, if you are not happy to complain verbally or would like formal response your complaint should be submitted in writing within the specified time period to :

Matt Buttery, Chief Executive Officer

• By email to matt @ familymatters.org.uk
  
• By post to Family Matters Institute, Park Road, Moggerhanger, Bedfordshire, MK44 3RW.

All complaints will be dealt with in the first instance by senior staff members of FMI in a timely manner and responding to you within 3 working days confirming :

• we have received your complaint
• who is dealing with it
  
• the date by which you should expect a response.

We aim to give you a full response within 15 working days.  If there are any reasons as to why this will not be possible we will contact you and give you a new date for our response.

The senior member of staff dealing with the complaint will:-

• Contact the individual making the complaint personally in order to gain all relevant information
• Interview all of the relevant members of staff
• Carry out a formal investigation if necessary (keeping copies of all notes and interviews)
• Pass complaint to FMI Board of Trustees if thought to be necessary

If a third party appeal is deemed necessary or the complaint is concerning a senior member of the FMI team then the complaint will be referred to the FMI Board of Trustees.  The complaint will usually be dealt with by a sub-group consisting of one or more Trustees appointed by the Board for this purpose.

The individual filing the complaint will be kept informed at all times of the stage of the investigation and if possible a written reply of the outcome will be sent within 15 days of the complaint.  In the instance of the complaint being referred to the Board of Trustees the individual will be informed in writing of the date of the next meeting and will then be informed of the outcome in writing.  Copies of all correspondence, interviews and if relevant minutes of the Board of Trustees meeting will be kept for up to three years, in a confidential file.