Last updated: May 2023
Complaints Policy
STUDIO WOLFE is committed to providing a quality service to children and their parents/guardians and we regularly evaluate our services in order to ensure this and to monitor the standard of our performance. We welcome all comments on our Service, whether positive or negative and we are committed to giving careful attention and a courteous, timely response to all suggestions, comments or complaints so that we can learn from them and continuously improve our Service.
Procedure for making and dealing with complaints
Our aim at STUDIO WOLFE is that:
- All complaints will be accepted and investigated irrespective of the nature of the complaint or
who the person making the complaint is. - The complaints procedure is kept as simple as possible.
- All complaints will be dealt with seriously and appropriately to ensure that the standard of service provided is maintained at a high level.
- We will endeavour to learn from complaints and use them to improve our service.
- The quality of the service provided to any child and family will never be adversely affected because a complaint has been made.
How to make a complaint
In the first instance, if a Parent/Guardian or Child has a complaint about some aspect of the service’s
activity, or about the conduct of an individual member of staff, it will often be possible to resolve the
problem informally by simply speaking to the individual concerned. As per our staff procedures there will
always be a second member of staff (preferably senior) at this meeting.
Some complaints may fall more into the category of disagreements or differences of opinion, and may be
resolved through discussion and compromise on the part of both the person making the complaint and
the staff member concerned.
If informal discussions of a complaint or problem have not produced a satisfactory resolution or, in
instances when a complaint cannot be handled informally, those making the complaint can put their
complaint in writing and email info@studiowolfe.ie.
How a formal complaint will be managed
Stage One: Informal Process
Informal conversation between a member of staff and the complainant
Stage Two: Formal Process
- If a satisfactory resolution is not found the next stage is a formal conversation with one of the Studio owners.
- This conversation will happen in a timely manner. The studio owner will have spoken to the staff involved in the complaint and have the necessary information available for this conversation.
Stage Three: Formal Process
If, at the conclusion of the above process, those who made a complaint are dissatisfied with the response they have received, the original complaint along with the the information provided by the staff and studio owner(s) will be passed to the Studio Manager. They will acknowledge receipt of the complaint in writing as soon as possible and fully investigate the matter, If there is any delay to the timeline of issuing a response, those who made the complaint will be advised of this and offered an explanation. The Studio Manager, with the assistance of appropriate staff members, will carry out a full investigation. This may involve:
- Interviews with all relevant teachers
The Studio Manager will also inform the business owners that the investigation is taking place.
Where no grounds for the complaint are found, the person making the complaint will be notified. Where the Manager (or other appropriate person) investigating, finds grounds for the complaint, they will ensure that all of the required details are available from the person making the complaint. Where a complaint concerns a member of staff, we will address the situation with due regard to our obligations as an employer and the rights of the employees, the terms governing their conditions of employment. Staff members must participate and support the investigation of any complaint, where requested. They will be given the right of reply.
When dealing with a complaint
When dealing with a complaint Studio Wolfe will:
- Apply common sense and judgment.
- Deal with the complaint quickly, fairly and consistently.
- Provide effective support for the child and person subject to the allegation.
Communication of the Response / Outcome
A response to the complaint will be sent from the Service to the person who made the complaint and copied to all relevant parties. The response will include if deemed necessary recommendations and amendments to the service’s policies and/or procedures and/or risk management procedures, arising from the investigation. The Studio Manager or Studio Director may arrange a time to meet the person who made the complaint and any other relevant individuals, such as members of staff, to discuss the complaint and the service’s response to it.
Recording of Complaints and Confidentiality
Records of complaints will be kept in a separate file for a 12 month period.
The record will include:
• The name of the complainant
• The nature and details of the complaint
• The date and time the complaint was received
• The manner in which the complaint was received
• The name of the person who received the complaint
• The manner in which the complaint was dealt with,
• The outcome of the investigation
• Details of any corrective or preventive actions to resolve the complaint