COMPLAINTS & APPEAL POLICY
Last updated October 2018. Next Review Date: September 2019
Complaints Procedure
The Centre’s Complaints Procedure allows candidates who are registered at the Centre to challenge an appropriate aspect of the Centre’s Operation.
Candidates could complain about the following areas:
- Access to assessment
- Process of assessment
- Access to internal verification
- Handling of an Appeal
- Administrative Issues e.g. failure to register
Assessors/Tutors could complain about the following areas:
- Access to support and guidance
- Access to internal verification
- Administrative issues
- Insufficient time to undertake the function
Internal Verifiers could complain to the centre about the following areas:
- Access to support and guidance
- Insufficient time to undertake the function
Stage 1:
If one of the above wishes to complain, this complaint should be lodged, in writing, to Lead Internal Quality Assurer, within 28 days of the issue arising.
Stage 2:
The Training Centre’s Lead Internal Quality Assurer will attempt to find a solution for the individuals involved.
If the complaint has not been dealt with to the satisfaction of all parties, the complaint will proceed to Stage 3
Stage 3
Set a date for the complaint to be considered by a complaints panel.
Notify the External Quality Assurer that a complaint has been lodged and give details of how it will be heard, including the composition of the panel.
The complaints panel meets to consider the complaint within 28 working days of the centre
Co-ordinator receiving the written complaint. Full accounts are required from all parties involved in the assessment. No one involved in the original assessment can be included on the panel. Candidates will be supported making the complaint. Attached is a copy of the candidate complaint form to be used as part of logging a complaint.
Appeals Procedure
The Centre’s Appeals Procedure allows candidates who are registered at the Centre to challenge the outcome of their assessment at the level of a unit/module/component if they consider that the assessment has not been carried out properly.
An appeal could be based for example on the following:
- The conduct of the assessment
- The adequacy of the range, nature and comprehensiveness of the evidence when set against the national standards and evidence requirements
- The adequacy of the opportunities offered in order to demonstrate competence or attainment
Stage 1:
If a candidate wishes to appeal, this appeal should be lodged, in writing, to the Lead Internal Quality Assurer/Quality Co-ordinator, within 20 days of them being notified of the assessment decision.
Stage 2:
The Training Centre’s Quality Co-ordinator will attempt to find a solution with the candidate, assessor/tutor and internal verifier, for example through another assessment or re-consideration of the evidence/work
Failing this:
Stage 3:
A date is set for the Appeal to be considered by an appeals panel.
The Centre will notify it’s EQA that an appeal has been lodged and gives details of how it will be heard, including the composition of the panel. The appeals panel meets to consider the appeal within 28 working days of receiving the written appeal. Full accounts are required from all parties involved in the assessment. No one involved in the original assessment can be included on the panel.
Candidates will be supported making the appeal.
Attached is a copy of the candidate appeal form to be used as part of logging an appeal.
Appeals will be dealt with within a period of 28 days from receipt of the written appeal.
Complaints will be dealt with within a period of 28 days from receipt of the written complaint.
Guidance and Counseling Policy
System to ensure that information, guidance, counseling and support are available to individual candidates
The Centre will follow progress of Candidates through meeting with Assessors and Internal Verifiers/IQA.
Information will be provided in the following way:
- Induction of each candidate where Candidate Rights are discussed.
- The Assessors will provide information to each candidate on how to build their knowledge, skill and demonstrate competence in the candidate’s chosen programme elements and Units. The Assessors will keep a note of information provided and date on which it was provided.
- Internal Verifiers in their meetings with the Assessors will discuss what information was provided to each candidate and provide guidance to Assessors if any further action needs to be taken.
- The role of information giving and its effectiveness will be evaluated at meetings between Internal Quality Assurer and the Centre Manager. Any action plan that emerges from this will be communicated through the Organisation Liaison Chart.
Guidance will be provided in the following way:
- Candidates will receive guidance from Assessors on use of forms, types of evidence, underpinning knowledge and understanding and the assessment process related to the particular programme elements and units the candidate is taking at the time.
- The Assessors will maintain a note of guidance provided.
- At their meeting with internal quality assurer, the Assessors will discuss the nature of guidance provided and how useful it has been. Any guidance on further action to be taken will be provided by the Internal quality assurer.
- The Centre Manager at meeting with internal quality assurer will discuss the type of guidance provided by the Assessors and Internal Verifiers and any further action needed will be communicated through the Organisational Liaison Chart.
Counselling and support will be provided in the following way
- Candidates will receive counselling and support from Assessors on the assessment process, how to approach it and how to get the best from the situation they find themselves in.
- The Assessors will maintain a note of any counselling and support provided.
- At their meeting with internal quality assurer, the Assessors will discuss the nature of counselling and support provided and how useful it has been. Any guidance on further action to be taken will be provided by the internal quality assurer.
- The Centre Manager at meeting with internal quality assurer will discuss the type of counselling and support provided by the Assessors and internal quality assurer and any further action needed will be communicated through the Organisational Liaison Chart.