Complaints Graphic

We live in a broken world. We know that from time to time we will not be serving you or our Lord as we ought. We welcome complaints or concerns in a spirit of humility and as a way of learning how to serve better.

If your concern or complaints relates to child safety, please use the process set out in Child Safe Policies, which can be accessed here: sthils.com/childsafe

The Policy below deals with how we approach all other complaints or negative feedback about our Church. It is open for use by congregation members, members of the public, volunteers or staff and involves five key elements:

  1. Culture. Our aim is to serve our stakeholders and our Lord to the best of our ability. We accept that we are not perfect. We value complaints and feedback as a means of identifying and understanding how we can do things better.
  2. Principles. Our complaints and feedback system is modelled on biblical principles, including humility, fairness, accessibility, responsiveness, efficiency and integration.
  3. People. Our complaints handling staff will be skilled and professional.
  4. Process. Our complaints handling process involves seven stages - acknowledgment, assessment, planning, investigation, response, review, and consideration of systemic issues.
  5. Analysis. We review information about complaints as part of a continuous process of review and improvement.

We discuss these elements in more detail below:


Element 1—Culture

We are committed to achieving our Mission and Vision. We are equally committed to doing so in a Christ-like way, and without causing any concern or hurt for any of the people we serve. We know that despite our best efforts, we are not perfect and that we can always do better. Accordingly, we value complaints and feedback and recognise that effective complaint handling will benefit our stakeholders, our reputation, our administration, and above all will glorify God. We affirm that complaints can highlight weaknesses in our Church services, programs, policies and service delivery, and stimulate us to improve. We also affirm that good complaint handling will reassure stakeholders that we are committed to resolving problems, improving relations and building loyalty, and to improving our accountability and transparency.


Element 2—Principles

Our complaint and feedback handling system is based on biblical principles, modelled on principles of fairness, accessibility, responsiveness and efficiency. Complaint handling has the same priority as everything else our Church does.  All complaints will be investigated with complete impartiality by a staff member, Warden or Parish Council member who is not personally involved in the issues, or by an external consultant or adviser. Each complaint will be assessed on its own merits. As far as possible confidentiality and privacy will be maintained and we will be transparent in reporting back results to you as quickly as reasonably possible. It is our aim to resolve all complaints as quickly and efficiently as possible. For example, if they can be resolved over the phone at the time they are made, we will do so.

We will not victimise or treat any person adversely because they have made a complaint. There is no financial charge for making a complaint. If you have special needs (eg non English speaking background or a physical impairment), please let us know and we will do our best to assist you.

You may initiate a complaint or feedback by email, letter or telephone call - see the contact details below. If you wish to make your complaint or provide feedback anonymously, it will still receive our genuine attention, although of course we will be unable to report back or seek further information which may be able to assist us in dealing with any issue. We are happy to deal directly with you, or through a parent, guardian, friend or adviser.


Element 3—People

We take complaints and feedback seriously. All complaints will be handled by our Lead Minister or Churchwardens, unless it is inappropriate for him or her to do so, eg due to absence or a lack of independence, in which case another senior member of staff  or a Parish Council member will handle it. In matters of great significance, we may outsource the handling of a complaint to an external adviser or consultant, to whom we will give complete co-operation.


Element 4—Process

Our standard complaint handling procedures are as follows (although we reserve the right to approach a complaint more flexibly if we think it will achieve a more just and efficient outcome):

  1. We will acknowledge each complaint promptly and give you the contact details of the person handling the complaint, ideally within 2 business days. If we have not finalised your complaint within 7 days after that, we will contact you to report our progress.
  2. We will assess the complaint and assign it priority.
  3. If investigation is required, we will plan how the investigation is to be carried out.
  4. We will investigate all relevant factual issues and then review the complaint in light of those facts. We will then consider options for complaint resolution.
  5. We will contact you to discuss the complaint. In doing so we will inform you of the relevant facts we have identified and ask you to comment and/or give us any other relevant information you may have. We will then discuss with you how we propose to resolve the complaint. If we were wrong or have acted inappropriately, we will apologise.
  6. If you are not satisfied with the proposed resolution, a Churchwarden or their delegate will review the position, and we will contact you appropriately. If you are still not satisfied, and we believe that there are genuine issues involved, we may suggest an externally facilitated mediation via PeaceWise (peacewise.org.au) or similar. Alternatively, you may pursue any other action which you believe is appropriate.
  7. We will act on any systemic issues that are identified as a result of the complaint or feedback.

(Note – if we reasonably believe that a complaint is vexatious, trivial or not genuine we will inform you accordingly as soon as we form that view. If you wish to take matters further, you may pursue any other action which you believe is appropriate.)

Element 5—Analysis

We appreciate that complaints and feedback can provide an insight into our Church life, and may show that we are not serving as well as we might. We will use information brought to light by any complaints and feedback to improve by:

  • highlighting any failings that need to be remedied; and
  • revealing problems and trends that we can act on.

We will address at Parish Council level any significant issues which are revealed by our complaints handling and feedback procedures.

 

Contact details:

Telephone: 9816 7100
Email: complaints@sthils.com
Form: sthils.com/complaints
Postal: 12 John Street Kew VIC 3101

 

PDF copy available here.