COMPLAINT POLICY
Lion Heart Consulting views complaints as an opportunity to learn and improve for the future, this is an important part of this policy as it ensures we are committed to ensuring we maintain the high standards of practice and quality in our work as well as an enabling us to put corrective measures when things are to be put right as quickly as possible.

For the purposes of this policy, a complaint may be defined as “an expression of significant or sustained dissatisfaction where a learner or client seeks a specific action to address the issue”. The expression of dissatisfaction may take the form of an informal complaint (verbal or written e.g. email) or a formal, written complaint.
To ensure that each formal complaint is managed effectively Lion Heart Complaints Form needs to be completed by the learner. Lion Heart encourages all Learners to make contact with our Customer Services before activating the Complaints Policy, this can solve concerns quickly and without the need to submit and start the process of a Complaint.

The Standards
❖ To provide a fair complaints procedure which is clear and easy to use for anyone wishing to make a complaint
❖ We treat all complaints seriously
❖ You can expect to be treated with courtesy, respect and fairness at all times. We expect that you will
also treat our staff dealing with your complaint with the same courtesy, respect and fairness
❖ All information provided by a Learner will be in confidence and shall only be shared with individuals or representatives of an organisation who support the progress of the Appeal
❖ An Appeal will not be accepted if presented by a third party unless we receive written consent from the Learner or Client. Where a third party is helping a complainant with a particular complaint, we need written consent to that effect. Where we have this authority, we will endeavour to take all possible steps to keep the third party informed of progress on the complaint
❖ We encourage learners to speak openly about their concerns and be reassured that what they say will be treated with appropriate confidentiality and will not affect their care and treatment
❖ We will not treat you less favourably than anyone else because of your:
     ➢ Sex or legal marital or same-sex partnership status: this includes family status,                         responsibility for dependants, and gender (including gender reassignment, whether                   proposed, commenced or completed)
     ➢ Sexual orientation
     ➢ Disability
     ➢ Colour or race: this includes ethnic or national origin or nationality
     ➢ Religious or political beliefs, or trade union affiliation
     ➢ Any other unjustifiable factors, for example, language difficulties, age,
     ➢ Pregnancy and maternity.
❖ To publicise the existence of our complaints procedure so that people know how to contact us to make a complaint
❖ To make sure all complaints are investigated fairly and in a timely way
❖ To make sure that complaints are, wherever possible, resolved and that relationships are maintained with our learners and Clients
❖ To gather information which helps us to improve what we do
❖ Client or Learners will not be disadvantaged as a result of making an Appeal under this procedure the learners are reminded that all appeals must be made in the open and honest application and in good faith, failing this any appeal can be rejected regardless of its stage
❖ We will deal with your service complaint promptly. Providing relevant details have been provided, we aim to acknowledge receipt of a written complaint within 10 working days, you can expect to have a full reply within 30 working days. For complex complaints and or where third parties are involved this period may the increase, should this be the case we will inform you along with any progress of the complaint?

The Process
For all complaints we have a two-stage handling procedure. At each stage it will help us to resolve your complaint quickly if you can give us as much clarity and detail as possible, including providing any documents and correspondence and stating that you are making a complaint. If we do not have all the details required to deal with the complaint, we may contact you and ask you for further information.
Our operations will be the handling of service of complaints with our Customer Services including notifying you of the outcome.

Stage 1
We aim for the majority of complaints to be resolved at this stage. On receipt of your complaint, we will internally assign a member of the Operations Department who will work on the complaint.

Stage 2
If you are dissatisfied with the response at stage 1, you may request a review. This will be carried out by the Operations Manager Your request together with all subsequent correspondence relating to it should be sent to our Operations Department.
Should you continue to be dissatisfied with the outcome you will be advised of the appropriate body to contact by the Operations Department.
Please note that all Complaints must be raised within 28 days of the event, any complaint outside this timeframe will require evidence of exceptional reasons for the delay of activating the policy. We value your feedback and expect to use it to help us to:
❖ Get things right in the future if we have not done so already
❖ Become more customer focused
❖ Be more open and accountable
❖ Act fairly and proportionately
❖ Seek continuous improvement
We will handle your information so that it is only processed and retained appropriately
and legally, in line with data protection legislation. All complaints and requests for review under our complaints procedure should be sent as follows:
By Post:
6 Southfield Green, Gravesend, DA11 7AD, United Kingdom
By Email: info@thelionheartconsulting.co.uk