Complaints and Feedback Policy

Prime Resolution is committed to high standards and welcomes feedback from clients.

We want to hear from you about your experiences, good or bad, as it is an important way of recognising good service, putting things right and sorting out problems - both for you and everyone else that uses our services.

We routinely request feedback from all parties following a mediation and this information is collated and used to help us to shape and improve the quality of the service we offer.

Concerns may be expressed as part of this feedback or during the mediation process itself, directly to the mediator or to a member of our administrative staff.

Definition of a complaint

Sometimes we do make mistakes so if you are not happy with a service you have received from us, we want to know about it. We consider any expression of dissatisfaction or concern, however it may be expressed, as a complaint.

It is not necessary for the word “complaint” to be used or for concerns to be put in writing for us to take it seriously and to take steps to put things right.

Publishing the complaints policy

Our complaints policy can be accessed at https://prime-resolution.co.uk/complaints.

Reference to our complaints policy will also be made in the Agreement to Mediate. Your permission will be sought for the release of confidential information in the event of an external investigation being requested.

What will happen if I make a complaint?

Marilyn Webster is the Professional Practice Consultant and Director responsible for dealing complaints/concerns about any aspect of the service you have received from Prime Resolution.

If you feel that Marilyn Webster is involved in some way with the matter you are complaining about your concerns will be referred to another Director.

There are two stages to our complaints process.

Stage 1 Discussion and informal resolution

• You may simply wish to discuss concerns about the service provided with us and have not yet decided whether you wish to make a formal complaint.
• We are happy to respond to concerns expressed by phone but, if you prefer, you can put your concerns in writing and send them to us by email. Or you can ask someone else to write or speak in your behalf if you would have any difficulties in doing so yourself.
• You can expect us to contact you within 2 working days of receiving a written or verbal complaint and to offer a meeting or telephone discussion at your earliest convenience.
• We promise to listen carefully to your concerns and to discuss with you what action you feel is necessary.
• We will write to you within 5 working days of any meeting / telephone discussion to set out what has been discussed and agreed.

Stage 2 Investigation

• If the complaint has not been resolved informally at Stage 1 we will write to you within 5 working days of the initial meeting /telephone discussion (as above) setting out what we believe to be the unresolved issues. We will then ask you to respond either verbally or in writing to confirm that you feel that we have understood you fully and are happy for us to proceed on this basis.
• We will then formally acknowledge your response, tell you what we plan to do next and how long we think it will take.
• Once our investigation is completed, we will provide a full written response.
• Our aim is to get back to you with our final response within 15 working days of receiving your written confirmation of the complaint. If it takes longer, we will keep you informed.
• We may also invite you to a further meeting to explain what we have done and to check that you are satisfied.

Unhappy with the response you have received?

If you remain unhappy with the response you have received and wish to take your complaint further you can contact the appropriate external body. For family mediation this will be the Family Mediation Council (FMC).

FMC will only be able to deal with your complaint if:

• the mediation process has come to an end
• the mediators’ own complaints process has already been fully exhausted
• the complaint involves a potential breach of the Code of Practice

Full details of the FMC complaints procedure can be found here.

For all other mediation, including Special Educational Needs mediation, the relevant body is the College of Mediators. Details of their complaints procedure can be accessed via the College of Mediators. Details of their complaints procedure can be accessed via The College of Mediators website.