MAKING A COMPLIANT

We welcome suggestions on how we can improve the work we do with you.  There are suggestion boxes in all offices, and we ask people to complete a questionnaire each year so that we can see how we are doing. If you need more information about either of these, please ask your Responsible Officer. However, if you feel that something has gone wrong or you have received a poor level of service, we want to know so we can put things right.

Your complaint has to be about a member of probation staff, the Probation Board, a contractor, agent or volunteer.

Please note that you cannot usually make a complaint about something that happened more than a year ago, or is being investigated by the police.

Dealing with complaints informally

Often it is better to sort out the matter with the member of staff involved. If you want you can write to or telephone the local probation office to speak to the member of staff involved or his or her manager. They will contact you (within two working days) to discuss the problem (you can bring a friend or an interpreter) and you will receive a letter (within ten working days) describing the outcome of this discussion.

Making a formal complaint

If you don't want to use the informal system you can write direct with details of your complaint to the Executive Officer at 2 St John St, Leicester, LE1 3WL. (Someone from the team, or a different team if you prefer, can help you to write the letter.) You can also write direct to the Executive Officer if you are unhappy with the way your complaint was dealt with informally but you must do this within ten working days of receiving your letter explaining the outcome of the informal consideration.

The Executive Officer will write within five working days to tell you that your complaint has been received and how it will be handled.

If your complaint is about the Executive Officer personally you should write with details to the Secretary of the Probation Board at 2 St John Street, Leicester, LE1 3WL, who will arrange to investigate.

The Executive Officer will usually ask a senior officer not directly involved to investigate your complaint. The complaint will be investigated and the outcome, with reasons, sent to you in writing within 20 working days of acknowledgement of the complaint. If more time is needed, the Executive Officer will write to you setting out the reasons for the delay.

Making an appeal

If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can write to appeal against it, setting out why you are not satisfied. You must do this within 15 working days.

Write to the Secretary of the Probation Board at:

2 St John Street, Leicester, LE1 3WL. The Secretary will acknowledge receipt of your appeal within five working days.

A panel, including a Probation Board member, will consider your appeal and send you the result within 20 working days. If they need a longer time they will let you know. They may also ask to meet you if they think that will help them consider your appeal.