Bestwest Care understands its obligation to protect the rights of learners and is committed to managing and responding to allegations involving the conduct of our marketing, administration and training and assessment processes, trainers, assessors or other staff or learners and third parties who deliver or market or recruit on our behalf.

All complaints and Appeals will be treated as an opportunity for improvement and will contribute to our internal policies and procedures.

We also understand our obligation to manage requests for a review of decisions, including assessment decisions made by ourselves or a third-party providing services on our behalf.

Procedure

Bestwest Care will ensure that the Complaints and Appeals Process is accessible, transparent, fair and equitable and that any complaint or appeal is treated in a timely manner.

Learners are informed of the Complaints and Appeals Process in our Learner information booklet.

Confidentiality is maintained throughout the processes outlined below.

The Complaint Process

Learners are encouraged in the first instance to talk to the person involved; this might be the Trainer/ Assessor, member of staff or another learner. The Trainer/Assessor will make notes of the concern and follow up with the relevant staff member.

If the problem continues or is not easy to resolve informally, a meeting with the Training Manager is arranged. This meeting can be face to face or by phone and learners can elect to have a representative present. A record of the meeting is kept including the grievance and the agreed proposed solution.

Any investigation of mattersCo raised is followed up and a response made within an agreed timeframe. Both parties are to sign this record of the meeting.

If the learner is not satisfied with the above actions a written grievance can be made.

A Complaints and Appeals Form can be downloaded or requested from administration. Once returned in person or via admin@bestwestcare.net.au, the complaint will then be handled by the Training Manager.

If the matter is still unresolved, an Independent Adjudicator will be assigned to examine the matter. This party will be independent of the RTO and the complainant or appellant, and their selection will be managed by the Training Manager/Director with the mutual agreement of the complainant.

The written decision of this body will be final and will be made within 30 days of the
complaint first being submitted.
If the 30-day target cannot be met the complainant will be informed in writing giving reasons why more time is required and will then be given regular updates on the progress of the matter.

The Assessment Appeals Process

Bestwest Care will consider all appeals against assessment decisions as documented below.

Learners are encouraged in the first instance to talk to the assessor who made the assessment decision within one week of receiving the result.

Learners are entitled to two attempts at assessment so in most cases the matter can be resolved by the assessor providing feedback and a resubmission or reattempt organised at a mutually convenient time.

If the outcome is not resolved, then the assessment will be remarked by another, qualified, assessor. This should be completed within 14 days of receiving the appeal.

If the learner is still not satisfied with the assessment outcome, the appeal should be put in writing within 7 days using the Appeals Form which can be downloaded or requested from administration.

On receipt of the Appeals Form, a meeting with the Training Manager is arranged. This meeting can be face-to-face or by phone and learners can elect to have a representative present.

A record of the meeting is kept including the reasons for appeal and the agreed proposed solution. Any investigation of matters raised is followed up and a response made within an agreed timeframe. Both parties are to sign this record of the meeting.

If the matter is still unresolved, a mutually agreed, independent mediation body will be assigned to examine the matter. The written decision of this body will be final and will be made within 30 days of the complaint first being submitted.

If the 30-day target cannot be met the complainant will be informed in writing giving reasons why more time is required and will then be given regular updates on the progress of the matter.

Record Keeping

All complaints and appeals will be treated as confidential. They will be recorded in the Complaints and Appeals Register with records of all communications and formal decisions attached. In the case of an assessment appeal, copies of the assessment, outcome results records, and assessor feedback will also be kept. Copies will also be kept on the learner file.

Monitoring and Improvements

All complaints and appeals are used to inform our quality assurance process.
All complaints and appeals are tabled for discussion at staff /management meetings as a standing agenda item and processes are developed and implemented to mitigate the risk of future complaints or appeals