Complaints Policy

COMPLAINT POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Coaching South West

Version 1.0 | November 2025

1. INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE

Coaching South West is committed to delivering high-quality training programmes to therapists, counsellors, and mental health workers. We recognize that occasionally concerns may arise regarding our courses, delivery, or services. This Complaints Policy and Procedures document sets out how we handle complaints fairly, transparently, and promptly.

We value all feedback and complaints as they help us identify areas for improvement and enhance our learners’ experiences. We are committed to resolving complaints satisfactorily and in accordance with our professional obligations.

2. SCOPE

What we will handle:

  • Course quality and content delivery
  • Trainer conduct and professionalism
  • Billing and payment issues
  • Technical issues with course delivery platforms
  • Certification and attendance records
  • Accessibility and reasonable adjustments
  • Breaches of our policies or learner code of conduct

What we will not handle:

  • Pricing decisions that have already been made
  • Technical failures of third-party platforms (Teams/Zoom) that are beyond our control; however, we will work with you to troubleshoot and provide solutions
  • Complaints already resolved through a previous appeals process
  • Complaints submitted more than 30 days after course completion
  • Complaints about other learners’ conduct (these are addressed through our Learner Code of Conduct)
  • General feedback that is not a formal complaint (feedback is encouraged and handled separately for quality improvement purposes)
  • Complaints regarding external pricing or subscriptions for third-party platforms

Note: Ethical concerns or breaches of professional conduct may be escalated to the appropriate professional body (Association for Coaching, CPD Standards Office, or British Psychological Society).

3. WHO CAN COMPLAIN

Any learner who has attended one of our courses, or anyone directly affected by our services, can submit a complaint. Complaints can be submitted by the individual or, where appropriate, by a representative acting on their behalf with appropriate authorization.

4. FEEDBACK VS. FORMAL COMPLAINTS

Informal Feedback:

We encourage all learners to provide feedback on their learning experience. This may include:

  • Feedback form embedded in course slides
  • General comments sent via email
  • Survey responses
  • Suggestions for course improvement

Informal feedback is used internally for quality assurance and continuous improvement. It does not require a formal response but will be reviewed and considered in course development.

Formal Complaints:

A formal complaint is a written expression of dissatisfaction about a specific aspect of our service that requires investigation and formal response. Formal complaints:

  • Must be submitted using our formal complaint form or in writing via email
  • Must be submitted within 30 days of course completion
  • Must clearly state the issue and what resolution is being sought
  • Will receive acknowledgment within 7 days and a full response within 14 days
  • May be appealed if the learner is not satisfied with the outcome

5. HOW TO SUBMIT A COMPLAINT

Option 1: Formal Complaint Form

Complete our formal complaint form, available:

  • On our website: www.coachingsouthwest.com/complaints
  • Via the link included with your attendance certificate email

Option 2: Email

Send a written complaint to: zoe@coachingsouthwest.com

Please include: your name, email address, course title and date, clear description of the issue, and what outcome you are seeking.

Option 3: Informal Feedback Form

If you prefer to start with informal feedback, a feedback form is embedded in your course slides. You can also request a feedback form to be sent to you within 30 days of completing the course.

Timeline for Submission:

Complaints must be submitted within 30 days of course completion. This timeframe allows you to reflect on your learning experience while ensuring we can conduct a thorough and fair investigation. Complaints received after this date will not be accepted unless there are exceptional circumstances.

6. INVESTIGATION PROCESS

Stage 1: Acknowledgment

Timescale: Within 7 days of receipt

Upon receipt of a formal complaint, you will receive a written acknowledgment confirming:

  • Your complaint has been received
  • A unique reference number for your complaint
  • Who will be investigating your complaint (Zoe McFarlane, Director)
  • The expected date you will receive our response
  • Your right to appeal if you are not satisfied with the outcome

Stage 2: Investigation

Investigation will involve:

  • Reviewing your complaint carefully and objectively
  • Gathering relevant documentation, including course recordings (where relevant to your complaint), attendance records, and any related correspondence
  • Considering any policies or procedures that may be relevant
  • Evaluating your complaint against the facts established during investigation

You may be contacted during the investigation for clarification or further information. Please note that we may use recordings of your training session to investigate complaints relating to course delivery, trainer conduct, or technical issues.

Stage 3: Resolution & Response

Timescale: Within 14 days of complaint receipt

You will receive a written response outlining:

  • What we have investigated
  • Our findings
  • Our decision and reasoning
  • Any action we are taking in response
  • Your right to appeal

Possible Outcomes:

Upheld: We agree your complaint is valid. We will provide an explanation, apologize where appropriate, and outline the action we are taking. You will receive a reflection document detailing changes we are making in response to your feedback. Depending on the nature of the complaint, we may also offer further support or remedies.

Partially Upheld: We agree with some aspects of your complaint but not all. We will explain our findings clearly and outline what action we are taking on the upheld elements. You will receive a reflection document.

Not Upheld: We do not agree that the complaint is valid based on our investigation. We will explain our reasoning clearly and provide evidence to support our position. Even if we do not uphold your complaint, we value your feedback and will provide a reflection document on how we are using your input.

7. APPEALS PROCESS

If you are not satisfied with our response to your complaint, you have the right to appeal. This is the final stage of our internal complaints procedure.

Submitting an Appeal:

  • Your appeal must be submitted in writing (email or letter) within 7 days of receiving our response
  • Address your appeal to: Zoe McFarlane, Director, zoe@coachingsouthwest.com
  • Include your complaint reference number
  • Clearly state why you are not satisfied with our response
  • Provide any new information or evidence that was not available during the initial investigation

Appeal Investigation:

Your appeal will be reviewed by the Director (Zoe McFarlane). This review will:

  • Reconsider your original complaint against the investigation findings
  • Assess any new information you have provided
  • Consider whether the correct process was followed
  • Determine if the outcome was reasonable based on the evidence

Appeal Response:

Timescale: Within 7 days of appeal receipt

You will receive a written response to your appeal confirming our final decision. This will be the final stage of our internal complaints procedure.

8. ESCALATION TO EXTERNAL BODIES

If you remain unsatisfied after completing our appeals process, you may escalate your complaint to the relevant professional body:

  • Association for Coaching – www.associationforcoaching.com
  • CPD Standards Office – www.cpdstandards.com
  • British Psychological Society – www.bps.org.uk

Ethical complaints or breaches of professional conduct may be reported directly to these bodies at any stage.

9. CONFIDENTIALITY & PRIVACY

All complaints are treated confidentially and will only be shared with those directly involved in investigating and resolving the complaint. Your complaint record will be stored securely and retained in accordance with our Data Protection Policy.

Recordings of training sessions are retained for 30 days as standard. If an active complaint involves a recording, it will be retained until the complaint is fully resolved plus an additional 30 days. After this period, all recordings are securely deleted.

10. COMPLAINT TIMESCALES – QUICK REFERENCE

StageTimescale
Submit complaintWithin 30 days of course completion
AcknowledgmentWithin 7 days of receipt
Full responseWithin 14 days of complaint receipt
Submit appealWithin 7 days of receiving response
Appeal response (final)Within 7 days of appeal receipt

11. CONTACT DETAILS

Name: Zoe McFarlane

Title: Director

Email: zoe@coachingsouthwest.com

Website: www.coachingsouthwest.com

Complaint Form: www.coachingsouthwest.com/complaints

12. REVIEW & MONITORING

This Complaints Policy and Procedures will be reviewed annually. Any changes will be communicated to learners and posted on our website. We monitor complaints trends to identify areas for improvement and ensure we are continually enhancing our training delivery.

Signed:
Zoe McFarlane
Director
Coaching South West
November 2025