COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
At Godalming Family Mediation Ltd we are committed to offering a high quality mediation service and, in the event that you are not satisfied with any aspect of the mediation process, please contact us so that we can try to find a mutually agreeable solution to any issues raised.
If you still have an issue that needs to be addressed as a complaint, please note that the following procedure operates, in line with the complaints process that as laid out by the Family Mediation Standards Board (FMSB) on behalf of the Family Mediation Council (FMC) and the Family Mediators Association (FMA):
- Ensure that your potential complaint is within the scope of the FMSB’s complaints procedure – please refer to the full procedure at https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/complaints-about-mediators/ but, in summary, this procedure allows a client, a former client or a qualifying third party to make a complaint that relates to breaches of the FMC’s Codes of Practice or Standards Framework that occurred within the last three months.
- The complaint must be made to Godalming Family Mediation Ltd in writing, either in an email or a letter using the contact details below, within 3 months of the date of the last mediation meeting as any complaint after this timeframe will not be considered a valid complaint.
- The complaint will then be acknowledged in writing within 10 working days of receipt.
- The complaint will then be investigated and responded to within 30 working days of receipt.
- Complaints that appear to be vexatious or of a purely personal nature do not have to be investigated.
- In the event that the complainant is not satisfied with the initial response, further attempts will be made to resolve the complaint within 60 working days from the initial receipt of the complaint.
- As part of these further attempts to resolve the complaint, mediation of the complaint with an independent mediation service will be allowed where both the complainant and mediator wish this to proceed.
- In the event that mediation does not proceed or that the complaint is not satisfactorily resolved in mediation, the complainant can contact the FMSB within 3 months of exhausting the internal complaints process explained above – see https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/complaints-about-mediators/ for guidance on how to proceed.
Contact details
Write to us at: Godalming Family Mediation Ltd, 1A Church Street, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1EQ