We are happy to hear any feedback – and want you to know that if there is something you are not satisfied about, it is helpful for our learning, even if you do not wish to do anything about it. For feedback that isn’t seriously impacting on you, you can email or use the contact form.
For feedback expressing dissatisfaction that is impacting upon you – please be clear in your communication, in as far as you know. Recording a distress level can really help us. eg 10 could be “really knocked sideways, re-traumatised by it”.
To keep things in balance, we would also love to hear feedback that is likely to be enjoyable and keep us motivated to continue supporting people.
Complaints Policy and Procedure
Purpose and Principles
- To support clear, respectful acknowledgement of your dissatisfaction with one or more of our services
- To support you to get heard around it as soon as possible
- To support transparent movement through any complaints
- To support a resolution process that shows care of all parties.
There are 3 steps, you can skip any.
1. Get some support
As our practice is NVC, which is a community based practice of mutual support, if you have the capacity to get some support from another member in the NVC UK network* this can help you get clear about your needs that weren’t met. *(an empathy buddy or someone who uses NVC who you feel comfortable with)
2. Contact Escape Your Chains
Contact us with your feedback. (Or ask a friend or support person to.) Please let us know what you can by email or by messenger to Sarah Sims Williams. Please put the word ‘Complaint’ or “May be hard to hear feedback” in the subject header.
It is also helpful if you include how distressed you feel, so we know how much to prioritise your email. For some people there is an urgency, others want merely to know we have heard their feedback.
If necessary, we will have a conversation with you, for us to hear your view and find a resolution of the issue. If you are now satisfied, this is the end of the process.
If at the end of this process, you are not satisfied with the outcome, or the first 2 options don’t appeal, read on.
3. Contact CTW
If you do not feel comfortable talking directly to Escape Your Chains or if you aren’t satisfied with the outcome, please contact the Conflict Transformation Weave directly. This is from them:
1. Initiate the process by emailing info@ctw-uk.com with brief details
2. A member of Conflict Transformation Weave contacts you and has a first ‘triage’ discussion to see what response is necessary. Note: If the issue involves someone in the CTW, we will ask another trainer to have this conversation. See here for current members of the CTW
3. Initial support takes place (empathy, mediation, community circle)
4. Is the issue resolved? If yes, the CTW will log and record the issue, and communicate to people involved
5. If the issue isn’t resolved, there is a second ‘triage’ meeting. What’s necessary now after the initial support?
6. Further support takes place (Further dialogue, community circle, written acknowledgements of learning, other action steps)
7. Is the issue resolved? If yes, the CTW will log and record the issue and communicate to people involved.
8. If the issue isn’t resolved, a ‘Support Panel’ will be convened comprising 3 practitioners, who have not yet been involved in the situation, from within NVC UK network (and/or beyond if a different level of expertise is necessary). This Support Panel will invite statements from all involved, including any facilitators up to this point. The purpose of the Support Panel is to come to a decision around next steps and recommendations. Recommendations could include requiring a person to have further training on an issue, can recommend a particular form of acknowledgement from either party etc
9. Statement is made to the community, recommendations are tracked, and case is closed.