Complaints Procedure

Early Years Care & Education Ltd is committed to providing a safe, stimulating and caring environment for children. We aim to provide high quality services for everyone, but accept that sometimes things don’t always go according to plan. In such circumstances, we will always try to put it right and address the issue.

If at any time parent/carers are not happy with the service we provide, there is a clear procedure to follow:

Stage 1

If any parent/carer has cause for concern, in the first instance, we would encourage them to speak directly to the member of staff, if deemed appropriate. Most situations can be addressed at this point. If that is not possible, then speak to the manager informally, to try and resolve the problem. If a satisfactory solution cannot be found at this stage, then stage 2 of the procedure should be followed.

Stage 2

If the complainant feels their complaint has not been resolved through discussion, they should then put their complaint in writing to the Nursery Manager, including names, dates, evidence & any other important information related to the nature of the complaint.

If the Nursery Manager has good reason to believe that a criminal offence has been committed, then they will contact the police.

The setting will acknowledge receipt of the written complaint as soon as possible & will investigate the matter raised. The complainant will be notified of the outcome of the investigation within 28 days of having received the complaint. They will be sent a full & formal response, which will be copied to all relevant members of staff if appropriate. The response will include any action or change to our policies & procedures, emerging from the investigation.

Stage 3

If the complainant is not satisfied with the written outcome response, they may request a meeting with the manager.

Stage 4

If at the end of the above stages, the complainant remains dissatisfied with the response they have received, the original complaint, along with the nursery’s response will be passed on to an alternative senior member of the Company, who will adjudicate the case.

The adjudicator will communicate a detailed response, including any actions to be taken, to both the Nursery Manager & the parents/carer concerned within 28 days of the matter being passed to them.

Stage 5

If after the previous stages have been reached, and the complainant is still not satisfied, then they should contact the Nursery Director via the nursery setting.

Stage 6

If the complainant is still not satisfied, they should contact Ofsted , who are responsible for the registration and inspection of the Nursery. They can be contacted by email at [email protected] or by calling 0300 123 4666. However, Ofsted’s powers here are limited: their role is not to resolve disputes between parents & the provider.