Ethos

Réalta Draíochta preschool/The Funclub Afterschool service strives to preserve the catholic ethos of the ennis national school. We have families of many religions and nationalities whose beliefs are also respected. Réalta Draíochta preschool/The Funclub Afterschool service values the individuality of each child, the importance of each child, the importance of play, local community liaison, the support of parents and families, and the rights of children. The Service endeavours to promote these values through partnership with parents, equality and respectfulness to all children, play based child centred activities, on-going training for adults in the provision and practice of early years care and education, and co-ordination with relevant statutory, community and voluntary organisations. At Réalta Draíochta preschool/The Funclub Afterschool service we see our pre-school and afterschool as integrated into a modern educational community where we strive to work in partnership with parents and Ennis National School to ensure the smooth transition of children and a link between the settings.

We welcome the feedback from any parent, guardian or member of the fun club afterschool It is our intention to deliver the best service and customer satisfaction within the standards and guidelines of our service provision. Please notify the afterschool managers if there is something you wish to discuss with them or bring to their attention.

This procedure is adhered to should a parent/guardian have a complaint concerning Réalta Draíochta preschool/The Funclub Afterschool service. This policy is underpinned by the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 and Tusla Early Years Inspectorate Quality and Regulatory Framework.

Procedure for complaints:

There are two types of complaints informal and formal.

Informal:

Réalta Draíochta preschool/The Funclub Afterschool service are located within Ennis National primary school, these services are independently run from the school, so it is important that all queries, feedback and complaints are directed through the managers of these services (Kathryn Quinn/Martina Cunningham only). A parent/guardian who wishes to make a complaint should approach either Kathryn or Martina, who will listen to the complaint and do everything they can to resolve the issue.

Formal:

There may be times when a complaint cannot be handled informally. In these circumstances the parent/guardian may lodge a complaint in writing with the leaders who will then call upon a third party. The third party will inform the staff member of the complaint and will seek to resolve it between the parties within five days of receiving the complaint. A meeting will then be held with the staff member and the leader with a view to resolving the complaint. This meeting will take place within ten days of receipt of the written complaint.

The staff member will be informed that the investigation is proceeding to the next stage and supplied with written evidence in support of the complaint. The staff member may be requested to supply a written statement to the third party, in response to the complaint. The staff member will be permitted to make a presentation of their case.

You can make a formal complaint by:

E-mail: info@realtadraiochta.ie

If you have a difficulty with submitting a complaint in writing please contact us by phone or in person and we can support you with making the complaint.

Please include the following information when making a complaint:

• Name:
• Address:
• A daytime telephone number:
• email address if applicable
• Full details of the complaint including relevant dates and times
• Names of those involved (including staff)
• Be clear about what you are hoping to achieve (apology, explanation etc.)
• Copies of any relevant documentation – State your preferred method of communication

Dealing with your formal complaint

1. We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days.
2. We will assess the complaint and the level of risk posed. If a matter concerns an immediate risk to safety or security the response will be immediate and will be escalated appropriately.
3. Réalta Draíochta preschool/The Funclub Afterschool service will confirm that the issue raised in the complaint is within the control of the service. If there is more than one issue raised in the complaint, the Registered Provider will determine whether each issue needs to be separately addressed.
4. We will look at addressing the complaint. We will let you know if this includes an investigation. If the complaint is straightforward, generally someone from the service will investigate. We will let you know who will be investigating your complaint.
5. If necessary, an investigation panel is formed to investigate the complaint. The persons investigating the complaint are in no way involved in the complaint, are not related to the complainant or any staff members involved in the complaint. Following investigating of the complaint, a separate HR procedure may need to be invoked.
6. A full response to the complaint will issue within 30 working days.
7. If there is a delay to the timeline of issuing a response, we will notify the person making the complaint as soon as possible.
8. The person making the complaint will be kept informed of the progress of the complaint.
9.  

Investigation

Depending on the nature of the complaint received, we will determine the type of investigation that will take place. All complaints are thoroughly and objectively investigated. The investigation is handled appropriately and sensitively. The person investigating the complaint will aim first to establish the facts related to the case. In complex cases, an investigation plan will be drawn up outlining how the complaint will be investigated. When investigating a complaint, all relevant evidence will be looked at. In the process of the investigation we may need to meet with the complainant to discuss your complaint further. Complainants can bring a person with them to any such meeting. All staff must participate in the investigation of a complaint, as required. Any staff member involved in the complaint will be supported throughout the process.

Outcome and response

Following the formal investigation of your complaint, we will let you know what we have found via your preferred form of communication. We will explain how and why we came to our conclusions and outline any changes to policies/procedures, practice and risk management arising from the investigation. Where no grounds for the complaint are found, the person making the complaint will be notified and information detailing the next stage will be provided. We will share any recommendations from our investigation with the complainant and also all relevant staff. We will outline the appeals process as part of the complaint response.

Appeal

If the complainant is dissatisfied with the response to the complaint, then there is the opportunity to appeal it. The appeal must be submitted within 5 working days. The appeal is handled by someone who was not involved in the original complaint process.

Record of Complaints and Confidentiality

An accurate and detailed record of each complaint is kept for a period of 2 years from the date the complaint has been dealt with. Complaint information is stored confidentially in the service and is only accessed by the Registered Provider and Manager. The people who have access to complaint records are named at the bottom of this policy.

Complaint not within the scope of the service

Any complaints not within the scope of the service to investigate, will be referred appropriately.

For example:  If there are child safeguarding concerns relating to a complaint, the designated liaison person is informed, and the child protection policy of the service is followed. If a complaint involves a potential criminal offence, An Garda Siochana is notified. In the event that a complaint relates to Réalta Draíochta preschool/The Funclub Afterschool service and the complainant does not want to make the complaint to Réalta Draíochta preschool/The Funclub Afterschool service, unsolicited information can be submitted to Tusla Early Years Inspectorate.

What we expect from complainants

We believe that all complainants have the right to be heard, understood and respected. However, we also consider that our staff have the same rights. We, therefore, expect you to be polite and courteous in your dealings with us. We will not tolerate aggressive or abusive behaviour, unreasonable demands or unreasonable persistence.

Persons who have access to the record of complaints:

Kathryn Quinn/Martina Cunningham

This policy was adopted by Réalta Draíochta preschool and the Funclub afterschool service on : 03/12/2019.

Please print the following complaints form, fill it out & return to a member of staff.