UTS Child Care Inc. - Grievance Policy May 1999

RATIONALE

Families are actively encouraged to be involved in all aspects of our service delivery, which is based on the principles of equity, affordability, and accountability. For families to have confidence in the quality of care provided by our service; it is important that they are aware of their ability to influence the nature of the service. This means that families know they have a right to comment on or appeal against any action or decision which has consequences for themselves or their children. This grievance policy is formal recognition, promotion and protection of each family's rights.

Young children often react poorly to changing their child care services, causing upset disruption and concern for parents. Hence, it is important that parents have a viable alternative to dealing with problems that arise with their child's care and education, without having to move their child to another centre. Each family has a right to a positive response from the centre - its staff and management - to meeting the family's particular needs.

Where a grievance of parents hinges on a conflict of interest between staff, child, parent and/or community it is often not clear where the appropriate balance point lies between all those interests. In some instances, parents may make demands which cannot be fully met or which seem unreasonable given the need to also balance the rights of other families. Parents and staff may need to accept a compromise, or may need to accept their needs cannot be met within a group care setting. Acceptance of that eventual outcome will only come out of an atmosphere of acceptance and positive feelings towards grievances at the time when the grievance is first raised.

PURPOSE

To ensure each family, and each parent feels empowered to raise concerns about all aspects of the operation of UTSCC, its centres and its child care operations.

To ensure each family, and each parent feels empowered to raise contentious issues, and provide critical feedback without any concern that their comments will lead to any victimisation of prejudice to themselves or their child.

To allow management to monitor the quality of service provided and identify any deficiencies.

To encourage staff to be responsive to the needs and concerns of families and their children; thus helping to develop and refine our service and its practices and procedures.

To encourage both negative and positive comments and responses from parents, that can lead to improvements in service quality.

To focus on the needs of children and their families with the intent of resolving the grievance to their satisfaction wherever possible within the group setting.

To encourage a culture in our centres that values complaints as an opportunity for continually raising and dealing with necessary improvements to our services.

SCOPE

This policy will apply to all families, staff and members within UTSCC and all decision making areas within UTSCC including the Board, Children's Services Coordinator, Directors, Centre Committees and all staff.

DEFINITIONS

A grievance occurs when a family wishes to appeal against any action or decision by UTSCC, its Board or its staff or any of its committees, which has consequences for themselves or their children. The concept of a family grievance suggests that all members of each family have "rights" within a service. A grievance occurs when a centre does not, or is not seen to, respect those rights from the point of view of any family concerned. But the rights of any particular parent or family or child in a group setting are not always clear-cut or easily definable. Those "rights" may be at odds with the rights of other families, children or staff, so that when grievances arise, centres are often faced with conflicting needs, due in part to the uncertainty about who the "client" is in a child care service - Is it the child? Is it the parents ? Is it the custodial parent ? Is it the community or University ?

An example, highlighting differing assumptions and perspectives, involves rights of families in relation to child health. Each family has a right to a healthy environment for their child, which often depends on the health and actions of other families, children and staff at the centre. Centres often find that suggested medical treatments, exclusion periods for sick children, doctor's recommendations, cross infection concerns, parent beliefs, Dept. of Health guidelines & issues re workers rights may each suggest different approaches and/or treatments. How are we to decide what is the "best" thing to do in that circumstance?

From the parent's viewpoint the way forward may be clear. But what if staff consider that "way forward" may not be in the best interests of the child ? Or in the best interests other children at the centre ? What if that solution requires an unreasonable expectation of staff? The beliefs of that parent may conflict with the concerns of other families at the child care service or with broad community concerns. Regarding the policy re medical exclusion of children from the centre, the parent may expect a dispensation from the policy for their child in "some special circumstance", when from the point of view of the centre, the policy must apply to all families at all times.

Hence the definition of "rights" in every circumstance is not necessarily clear, and so the response to any grievance must be made within the context of the relevant differing rights of each stakeholder involved.

PROCEDURES

• Require Directors and Coordinator to report to the Board on a regular basis regarding all grievances received and the outcome or  resolution of that grievance.

• Ensure sufficient resources are allocated for the implementation of the Grievance Procedure, and ensure staff will be supported in its application and implications.

• Ensure staff members understand the ethos connected with a Grievance Procedure and are made aware of UTSCC's philosophy of encouraging and valuing family input.

• Deal with any appeal in a timely fashion, and ensure no disadvantage occurs for the family or families involved.

• Inform any family who is not satisfied with the outcome of any grievance procedure that they are able to approach the relevant Federal and State Government Departments.

Centre Directors will :

• Encourage staff to identify family concerns and ensure such concerns are addressed at the earliest opportunity

• Establish unbiased centre procedures to reduce any potential power inequities between families and our service. Guarantee families they will not be treated unfairly nor that services will be withheld if they raise a concern, grievance or complaint.

• Deal with all grievances promptly and keep the complainant well informed of progress toward the resolution of the grievance.

• Protect the rights of staff members relating to any grievance, and ensure all outcomes will be based on the principles of natural justice. Ensure all processes and procedures adopted are clear, transparent and fully explained to all concerned.

• Maintain privacy and confidentiality to the maximum extent possible and assure families and staff of this.

• Give families written information concerning the Grievance Procedure at enrolment, and explain the policy to families in a positive welcoming manner. Ensure this Grievance Policy and related procedures are displayed within their centre building, visible to all staff and families. Ensure information about grievances is given on a regular basis, as families may not remember all information given during the busy enrolment period.

• Keep a register of all grievances received, detailing action taken to address the matter, who was involved and the outcome.

All staff will :

• Encourage families to feel comfortable about raising concerns, by being open and positive in responding to families.

• Ensure any such concerns raised with you are addressed at the earliest opportunity, whether they concern you personally or not.

• Respond in a positive manner when a family has chosen to approach you with a concern about another staff member. Treat the matter with the utmost confidentiality, and raise the matter with the staff member concerned or with the Director, as you feel appropriate. If the grievance is against the Director, the staff member may raise the matter with the Children's Services Coordinator.

• Where a grievance raised by a family has been resolved, inform the Director of the success of that process.

• Where you are uncertain about how to deal with a grievance raised by a family, you should seek support and assistance from either another staff person or the Director. Once the matter is resolved, you should inform the Director of the outcome of that process.

• Where you are unable to deal with a grievance raised by a family, or where the grievance issue is outside your control, you should seek support or assistance from the Director.

• Maintain privacy and confidentiality for families, children and other staff to the maximum extent possible.

Families will be encouraged by all staff to follow the following procedure:

Families are asked to raise all grievances at centre-level first. This will give those most closely involved an opportunity to address any issues in the light of a detailed awareness of the everyday issues faced at the centre and a detailed knowledge of the family and child.

Families are asked to remain aware that at any stage of a grievance procedure, they may ask any other person to act as an agent, support, advisor or intermediary on their behalf.

If appropriate and family members feels comfortable doing so, the family may approach the staff member involved and if needed set a time where the matter can be discussed appropriately. Grievances at this level will normally be resolved by discussion and clarification of the needs or wishes of the family or by clarification by the staff member of the centre procedures or polices.

If the family member does not wish to speak with the particular staff-member involved, then they may approach another staff-member with whom they do feel comfortable. With the family's consent, this staff member may then approach the original person and explain the grievance. The Director or person in charge will subsequently be notified about the grievance and its outcome.

The family may raise their grievance with the Centre Director, (if the previous step does not produce a satisfactory outcome to the parties involved or if the person concerned feels it is not appropriate). The Director will research the grievance/situation and work towards reaching a satisfactory outcome for all parties involved. Again grievances at this level will normally be resolved by discussion and clarification of the needs or wishes of the family or by clarification by the Director of the centre procedures or polices. Resolution may also involve the development of new policy or procedures if the matter or point of view raised has not previously arisen or been considered at the centre or within UTSCC.

Families may raise their grievance with the Children's Services Coordinator, if the previous step does not produce a satisfactory outcome to the parties involved or if the person concerned feels it is not appropriate. The Coordinator will research the grievance/situation and try to reach a satisfactory outcome for all parties involved. Grievances at this level will not normally be able to be resolved by further discussion and/or clarification since such discussion will have already occurred. Resolution may involve the development of new policy or procedures or the provision of new information or viewpoints to support or explain the centre's existing policies and procedures. If mediation is required then the Coordinator will either act as mediator or ensure a mediator acceptable to both parties is available to assist.

Families are entitled to appeal any decision made by the Director or Coordinator at any previous step. Such appeal will be made to the Board. The Board or its nominee will determine an appropriate mechanism for dealing with any appeal.