Providing support and promoting respect for everyone with a visible difference

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Complaints procedure

We hope that you are happy with what we do and how we do it. If you aren’t, you can complain verbally or in writing. On this page, we explain how.

At Changing Faces, we are absolutely committed to providing the highest possible quality of service to people affected by visible difference, as well as anyone who supports or is interested in our work.

However, we acknowledge that sometimes things do go wrong and if you do have a complaint, we encourage you to get in touch – this both allows us to with us to put things right and helps us improve for the future.

Complaints can be made verbally (in person or over the telephone) and/or in writing (via email or letter). To help us to deal with your complaint effectively please tell what is/was unsatisfactory or unacceptable and when the incident occurred.

If your complaint is something within our responsibility or influence then we will do our best to resolve the issue immediately. If that isn’t possible, we will handle your complaint in the following way.

Fundraising complaints

We are registered with the Fundraising Regulator and as such follow the regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice. You can read more about this in our supporter promise. We therefore follow a robust and transparent fundraising complaints procedure, as follows:

  1. We will acknowledge in writing the complaint or query about fundraising within 14 days of it being received.
  2. We will advise you of the outcome of our investigation within 30 days of receiving the complaint.
  3. If you are not happy with the outcome of our investigation, please contact the Fundraising Regulator – you should refer your complaint to them within two months of our response.

You can send your complaint using the Fundraising Regulator’s online complaints form  or by writing to them at:

Fundraising Regulator
2nd Floor, CAN Mezzanine
49-51 East Road
London, N1 6AH

If you need further advice or are unable to complain in writing for any reason, you can contact the Fundraising Regulator by phone on 0300 999 3407.

The regulator will investigate the complaint and try to resolve it with all parties concerned. The time taken to investigate will depend on the complexity of the case. However, they aim to complete investigations within 13 weeks of receipt.

The Fundraising Regulator has the discretion to specify that either no further action is appropriate or to censure a charity and prescribe one or more sanctions.

Please be aware that we keep a record of all complaint, which includes:

  • A copy of the complaint.
  • Details of the section of the Code of Fundraising Practice that it is believed has been breached.
  • The date we received the complaint.
  • A copy of all the communications in connection with the complaint.
  • Details of the investigation we have undertaken into the complaint.

We will always ensure that appropriate information is provided to the Fundraising Regulator about the complaints we receive.

Other complaints

If you have a complaint that is not related to fundraising, please contact us by any of the following routes:

Changing Faces
The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane
Sheffield
S1 4FW

Please provide as much information as possible, including the following.

  • What went wrong.
  • Where and when it happened.
  • The names of the people involved.
  • What outcome you are hoping for.
  • Your contact details (name, address, daytime telephone number, email).

After we receive your complaint it will be:

  • Assessed and acknowledged within five working days, telling you who will be dealing with your complaint and from whom to expect a response.
  • Passed to the appropriate manager for investigation and response.

The person handling the investigation will then provide a full response to you within 20 working days of the original receipt.

All complaints will be treated with an appropriate degree of confidentiality and information will only be shared with staff as necessary to the investigation.

If you remain unsatisfied with our response to your complaint you may consider contacting the Charity Commission for England and Wales:

Charity Commission
PO Box 211
Bootle
L20 7YX

If you are based in Scotland, you would need to contact the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR):

The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)
2nd Floor
Quadrant House
9 Riverside Drive
Dundee
DD1 4NY

How we follow-up on complaints

In order for us to improve our work, we may contact you within one month of your complaint being dealt with in order to check you are satisfied with our resolution.