Purpose

1. This policy gives any person a clear way to complain about something Sparrows, or anyone acting for it, has done or failed to do. It sets time limits for looking into a complaint and replying to it.

Who May Complain

1. Anyone may make a complaint under this policy. That includes a donor, a volunteer, an employee, a Board member, a parent or relative of a child, and any other member of the public.
2. This policy is separate from two others. The Whistleblowing Policy is for people who work for Sparrows and want to report suspected wrongdoing in confidence. The Children's Complaints Procedure is a child's own way to complain about their care. A request about the wording of a policy is made under §7 of the Policies Guideline instead.
3. An employee who has a complaint about how Sparrows has treated them at work uses the Grievance Policy. An employee may use this policy for anything else.
4. A parent, a relative or a child's placing authority may use this policy to complain about a child's care. This does not take away the child's own right to complain under the Children's Complaints Procedure.

How to Complain

1. A complaint must be specific. It says what happened, on what date, who was involved, what the complainant saw, and what outcome the complainant wants.
2. A person who cannot put a complaint in that form is helped to do so by whoever receives it. They are not turned away for failing to do it on their own.
3. A complaint is made to the Executive Director. If it is about the Executive Director, it is made to the Board Chairperson, who handles it.
4. If a complaint is about the Board Chairperson, it is made to the Vice-Chairperson, who handles it. If it is about any other Board member, that member takes no part in how it is handled.
5. A complaint may be made without giving a name. Sparrows assesses it, and investigates it if it is genuine and specific. If there is no way to reach the complainant, Sparrows cannot send the replies in §4 and §5, and does not have to.

Assessment

1. The person who gets the complaint under §3 first decides if it is genuine, specific (§3.1) and made in good faith.
2. A complaint that is vague, frivolous or made in bad faith is not investigated further. The complainant is told why.
3. A complaint that is genuine but lacks the detail in §3.1 is sent back for that detail. It is not thrown out. The 21 days in §5.1 then run from the day the detail is received.
4. Within five business days, the person who gets a complaint tells the complainant in writing that it has arrived.

Investigation and Response

1. A complaint that passes the assessment in §4 is investigated. The complainant gets a written response within 21 calendar days of Sparrows receiving the complaint. The response deals with the outcome the complainant asked for.
2. A complaint may not be dealt with in that time, for example because it needs an outside investigation or legal advice. The complainant is then told before the 21 days end, and is given a new date.
3. A complaint may show that a child has been abused or neglected. It is then acted on at once, and is not held for the 21 days in §5.1. The duty to report to the authorities (Child Protection Policy §4) and the duty to record the incident (Emergency and Crisis Management Policy §4) apply as well as this policy.
4. A complaint may be about the conduct of a staff member. Any consequence for that person is dealt with under the Disciplinary Code and Procedure, separately from the response to the complainant. The complainant is told the outcome of their own complaint. They are not told the details of a disciplinary process they are not part of.
5. A complainant who is told their complaint will not be investigated, or who is unhappy with the response under §5.1, may ask the Board to review it. They ask in writing. The Board decides at its next ordinary meeting and tells the complainant its decision in writing. A Board member the complaint is about takes no part.
6. A complainant may also take a complaint to the provincial Department of Social Development, which registers and monitors child and youth care centres. This policy does not stop them doing so at any time.

Public Complaints Register

1. Sparrows keeps a Public Complaints Register. It records each complaint received under this policy, including an anonymous complaint and one that is not investigated. It also records the outcome and whether the response was sent within the time in §5.1.
2. The person who keeps the Register tells the Board about each complaint at its next ordinary meeting after the complaint is closed. The complainant's name is not given.
3. The Executive Director keeps the Register. The Board Chairperson keeps entries about the Executive Director, and the Vice-Chairperson keeps entries about the Board Chairperson. The Register is confidential.

Publication

1. The person who handled a complaint under §3 may publish a short description of it and how it was resolved. The description is reworded and redacted. The complaint itself and the Register entry are never published. This is done only where it serves a real public interest, such as showing that a matter has been dealt with.
2. A description is published only if no one can be identified from it, even indirectly. This includes any child.

Review

1. This policy is reviewed annually by the Board.