Complaints Policy

Remarkable Minds is committed to providing a high-quality service to the families, children, young people, schools and local authorities we work with. We value all feedback, and we take complaints seriously. This policy explains what counts as a complaint, how to make one, how we will handle it, and how to escalate it if you are not satisfied with our response.

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction, whether justified or not, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by Remarkable Minds, our staff, or a specialist delivering a session through our platform.

This policy does not cover routine requests for a service, initial requests to put something right, or matters that have their own process — for example a safeguarding concern, which is handled under our Safeguarding Policy, or a request to access your personal data. If you raise a safeguarding concern through this route, we will redirect it to our Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately.

When you complain, we will:

• Treat you with respect and take your complaint seriously
• Deal with your complaint promptly, fairly and confidentially
• Not treat you differently or unfavourably because you have complained
• Explain our decision and the reasons for it
• Tell you how to take your complaint further if you remain unhappy
• Learn from complaints to improve our service

You can make a complaint by emailing complaints@remarkableminds.app. To help us resolve things quickly, please include:

• Your name and how to contact you
• What happened, including dates and who was involved
• What you would like us to do to put it right
• Copies of any relevant information (for example messages or booking details)

You can complain on behalf of someone else with their consent. If you would find it easier to complain by phone or in another format, let us know and we will arrange it (see section 8).

Stage 1 — Review. We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days and give it a reference. A member of our team who was not directly involved, where possible, will look into it and send you a full written response within 10 working days of that acknowledgement. If we need longer — for example because the matter is complex — we will tell you why and agree a new date with you.

Stage 2 — Escalation. If you are not satisfied with our Stage 1 response, you can ask for the complaint to be escalated within 20 working days of receiving it. A director will carry out a fresh review and send you a final written response within 20 working days. This completes our internal complaints process.

Where we have got something wrong, we will say so and apologise. Depending on the circumstances, we may offer an explanation, correct a mistake, change how we do things, re-arrange or refund a session, or take other reasonable action to put matters right.

If you have completed our two-stage process and remain unhappy, you can escalate your complaint externally:

• Where our service was arranged or funded by a local authority, you can contact the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman (www.lgo.org.uk).
• Where your complaint is about how we have handled your personal data, you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) (www.ico.org.uk).
• Where your complaint concerns a registered professional, you may also contact their relevant regulatory body.

We want our complaints process to be open to everyone. If you have a disability, communication need, or would find it easier to complain in a different way, tell us and we will make reasonable adjustments — for example taking a complaint by phone, allowing more time, or providing information in an alternative format. You are welcome to ask a friend, family member or advocate to help you.

We will consider anonymous complaints where there is enough information to do so, though we may not be able to respond directly. We deal with all complaints in good faith. In rare cases where a complaint is pursued unreasonably or persistently in a way that disrupts our service, we may limit contact, and will explain our reasons in writing.

We handle complaints confidentially and share information only with those who need it to investigate and respond. We keep a record of complaints and their outcomes, which we store securely and process in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR. We review complaints data regularly to identify trends and improve our service.

This policy is owned and approved by the directors of Remarkable Minds and is reviewed at least annually, and sooner if our service or relevant guidance changes significantly.

To make a complaint or ask about this policy, contact Jake Owen at complaints@remarkableminds.app.