How to Make a Complaint

BS3 Community Development aims to provide high-quality services at all times. We want our services to be efficient, effective and accessible to all sections of the community. We work towards continuous improvement but it is accepted that there may be occasions where we are unsuccessful in this aim. Therefore, it is essential that all service users are aware of the correct procedure in these instances, thus ensuring: the information is dealt with effectively, any unnecessary conflict is avoided and where appropriate procedures and practices are reviewed to avoid recurrence.

BS3 Community Development would like to hear from you if you have not been happy with any aspect of the charity’s services, and want to give feedback, make suggestions or make a complaint. If you have not been happy with the service you have received, BS3 Community Development would encourage you to resolve the problem informally either with the individual concerned or a member of the senior management team within the charity. A member of staff will always listen to concerns fully and treat them seriously, and where possible will provide further context and a suggested resolution if appropriate.

Should this not result in satisfaction then please follow the procedure outlined below.

BS3 Community Development
The Southville Centre, Beauley Road, Southville, Bristol BS3 1QG

Tel:  0117 903 1039
E-mail: info@bs3community.org.uk

E-mail for Early Education and Childcare: family.services@bs3community.org.uk

Step One
If your complaint is not resolved informally, you can send an email to the appropriate email address listed above. Alternatively, you can contact a manager by telephone, email or letter using the above contact details, to lodge your complaint.

Your complaint will be assessed by a manager and a response to the complaint given in writing. If you would prefer to speak to someone who was not involved in the situation then go straight to step two.

You should receive confirmation of receipt of your complaint within five working days and a response within 28 working days.

Step Two
If your complaint has not been resolved informally or in step one, the next step is to contact the chief executive, Emma Brech, by letter, telephone or email. If your complaint is about the preschool and nursery provision then the contact is Kelly Murphy, Head of Early Education and Childcare.

BS3 Community Development will investigate your complaint by talking to you and other people involved in the situation, reviewing systems and any documentation where appropriate. BS3 Community Development will give you a written response to the complaint and/or explain steps and measures that will be taken in future to ensure the problem does not recur.

You should receive confirmation of receipt of your complaint within five working days and a formal response within 28 working days.

Step Three
You may wish your complaint to be heard at a more senior level. A list giving contact details of the Board of Trustees is available on our website or you may contact The Southville Centre office by letter, telephone or email (details above) asking for Board of Trustee contact details or for your complaint to be taken to step three.  

Members of the Board of Trustees will review the situation surrounding the complaint.  You may be invited to meet with a board member to discuss the matter. Members of the Board of Trustees will produce a full written report giving a response to the complaint and/or explain steps and measure that will be taken in future to ensure the problem does not recur.

You should receive confirmation of receipt of your complaint within five working days and from then on will be kept informed of progress, procedures and timescales at all times.

Summaries of formal complaints and their resolutions will be reviewed by the members of the board of trustees.

Registering a Complaint with OFSTED

If Parents/ Carers wish to do so, then individuals also have a right to direct a complaint to OFSTED if they feel this is appropriate. This will usually apply if they believe that BS3 Community Development is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. OFSTED are responsible for ensuring registered providers meet specified requirements and may inspect a setting in relation to a complaint. In the event of an inspection of either the Southville or Chessel Centres, the charity is required to ensure that parents have a copy of the report.

The OFSTED complaints line is available for parents/carers to enable them to contact OFSTED on 0300 123 1231 to make any comments about the childcare provision offered.

Where parents contact OFSTED but have not previously submitted a written complaint to BS3 Community Development, a Provider Complaints Record will be completed at this stage. Please note our Early Years Family Services team record and log all complaints.

Parents can also write to OFSTED at:

Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk