About Us
| Complaint Procedures |
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As an organization, Haldimand-Norfolk REACH strives to provide you with the best possible service. This means we always welcome your suggestions and comments. They help us to improve how we deliver services to our clients. Although we try to ensure excellence in the work that we do, sometimes people feel that our service is not meeting their needs or they are not happy with the way programs are carried out. We respect that people have a right to express their opinions in the form of a complaint, and have the problem sorted out. You may wish to make a complaint, for example, if you feel that:
It is important for you to know that we have a process to follow if you need to make a formal complaint. You can make a formal complaint before, during or even after you receive our services. We encourage you to follow the steps below to let us know your concerns, so we can work with you to try to resolve them. The first thing you need to do is to tell your worker, or the person with whom you have a complaint, what you are feeling. You might feel more comfortable doing this over the phone, in person or putting it into a letter to your worker. (You can also use the form provided on the back of this booklet.) Most concerns can be addressed at this level. Your worker will, at their earliest opportunity, discuss this concern with you and see if there is a way to address the problem. But, if you feel you are:
then, you may wish to take the next step and talk to the worker's direct supervisor (in most cases, a Manager). Each staff person at our Agency reports directly to someone who supervises him/her. To find out who you need to speak with, you can ask the receptionist for the appropriate person's name, their title and phone extension. (It is your choice whether you will want to let your worker know that you will be contacting the person who supervises him/her to make a complaint.) You can make your complaint by phone or in writing, by using a complaint form available from the receptionist.
The supervising person will consider all information about the situation and respond to your concerns as soon as possible. He or she may arrange a meeting with you and if necessary, you and your worker, to try to resolve the matter by coming to some agreement. It may be possible to bring a person you trust with you to a meeting. If you still feel that you have not had your complaint resolved after speaking to your worker, a supervising person and Manager, you may direct your written concerns to the Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for managing all operations of the organization. At this level, you must express your concerns by using the complaint form. In some cases, we can provide assistance in this matter or direct you to an organization that can offer help in writing your complaint. The Executive Director will then speak to the Manager to find out more about the matter and what steps have been taken to resolve the problem. The Executive Director will call you, and in some cases, you may be invited to a meeting. We hope that any complaint will be resolved using our internal Agency process. However, you do have other options to make complaints. You may wish to use these options if you have not received satisfaction from the internal process. You may also need to use these options if you have a complaint that is beyond the control, or mandate, of Haldimand-Norfolk REACH.
For complaints from the following Units/Division Child Care, Child Clinical/Youth Services, Contact, Developmental, Ontario Early Years or Union House: Ministry of Community & Social Services/Ministry of Children & Youth Services Office of Child & Family Services Advocate Ombudsman Ontario Should your worker or therapist be registered, certified or licensed with any professional body, for instance: Quality Assurance Sub-Committee of the National Management Committee of Family Services Employee Assistance Program Thank you for helping us make our services the best they can be!
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