Complaints and Compliments

West Silvertown Foundation works with many people, delivering a wide range of services and activities. Our aim is to have a positive impact on peoples’ lives.

Compliments and feedback

If you would like to give us feedback, let us know that something has gone well or give compliment about a session or project we run, or even to a member of staff, you can email us at the following emails depending on the person or project:

Children and Families activities families@wsfroyaldocks.org

Youth Club youth@wsfroyaldocks.org

Activities for adults hello@wsfroyaldocks.org

Hires bookings@wsfroyaldocks.org

Or use hello@wsfroyaldocks.org if you aren't sure!

Complaints

However, we know that sometimes we get things wrong and people are not happy with the service they have received from us. This is why we have a complaints procedure. We want people to feel confident that their complaints and concerns are listened to and acted upon promptly and fairly.

Sometimes we are able to put things right, sometimes we can only apologise and explain but we do our best to learn from our mistakes and change how we do things as a result. This is why we welcome your comments and complaints. By taking the time to tell us where we have gone wrong, it gives us the opportunity to improve the charity and our services.

Examples of what complaints may be about:

  • the quality and standard of the service/session
  • not providing a service
  • about our buildings and resources
  • treatment or attitude of a staff member
  • inappropriate behaviour by a staff member
  • the failure of WSF to follow an appropriate policy or procedure

This list is not exhaustive.

How to make a complaint

  1. Let a member of staff know about your concern. Please talk to a member of staff or the manager of the service/session you are unhappy with. Tell us a soon as possible, giving clear details about the concern. This gives us the chance to put things right quickly and where possible resolve the problem. If you cannot or do not wish to make a complaint in person, you have the option of emailing or writing to us:

    Email: Helen@wsfroyaldocks.org
    Post: CEO (Complaints), West Silvertown Foundation, 65 Evelyn Road, London E16 1TU

    Including the following details will help us to effectively and quickly investigate your complaint:
    • The specific area or service you are making a complaint about
    • Outline the nature of your complaint as precisely as possible, this will help us to investigate further and hopefully to resolve the issue. Please include details such as the place and time the incident occurred.
    • Please let us know if you have already reported the complaint, and if any action was taken previously.
    • Your name and contact details, as we will be limited in our ability to investigate anonymous complaints.

    If your complaint is about the CEO, then please contact the Chair of Trustees chair@wsfroyaldocks.org or write to them at
    Chair of Trustees (Complaints), West Silvertown Foundation, 65 Evelyn Road, London E16 1TU
    Any complaints relating to the CEO will be investigated by a Trustee.

  2. How we will deal with your complaint
    If you have spoken to a member of staff about your complaint, they should explain the next steps to you during that conversation. They may provide you with a copy of this complaint procedure. We may ask you to give or tell us the details listed above so we can investigate. If you have made the complaint in writing or by email, we will acknowledge your complaint within five working days.

    We will then carry out an investigation. As part of the investigation, we may ask to speak to you about the complaint. The investigation will not be carried out by anyone named or involved in the complaint.
    If your complaint is about the way a service/session is routinely delivered, the investigation will include talking to the team and mangers about why the service/session is delivered that way and asking questions based on the concern raised.

    If your complaint is about an event or situation arising which is not routine, we will get information about what occurred and what may have caused or led to the incident.
    The target time for completing the investigation is 28 days, though it sometimes takes longer. If this is the case any delay will be explained.

  3. Findings of the investigation
    We will tell you about our findings after the investigation, usually in the same way that you raised the complaint. If you emailed or wrote to use, we will get back to you the same way. If you raised your concern with a member of staff, we may be able to tell you about the outcome in person, but in some instances, we may need to write to you as well as speaking to you.
    If the complaint was anonymous, we will unlikely be able to report any findings back to the complainant.

    If your complaint is upheld you will receive a full written apology and, where appropriate, be given details of any action that we are taking to put things right or ensure that the situation does not happen again.
    We use the complaints procedure and any findings from investigations as an opportunity to learn and improve. Complaints and investigations are reviewed every 6 months to ensure any learning is implemented. Trustees are also informed of any complaints received and the investigation findings.

  4. “I am unhappy with the response to my complaint” - how to appeal

    If you are unhappy with the response you should write to the Chair of Trustees within 14 days. Chair of Trustees, West Silvertown Foundation, 65 Evelyn Road, London E16 1TU or chair@wsfroyaldocks.org

    Records of all complaints will be kept for at least one year after the complaint is resolved or dealt with. The CEO and senior managers will review complaints files annually to identify trends and ensure appropriate action is taken to achieve ongoing improvements.

    If you have other concerns, you can find further options at the Government website Complain about a charity - GOV.UK

You can download a copy of this policy here