Reports - Policies and Procedures

The Deaf Service recognises and emphasises the importance of confidentiality.

• Information about individual people will be kept in strict confidence. It will only be passed on with the consent of the person.

• Interviews with clients will, as far as possible, take place in a private room.

• Written information about our clients will be locked away. The computer network is password protected.

• Clients will not be discussed in front of other clients or members of the public.

The Deaf Service follows full Diocesan policy in this area. In November 2004 a successful training day led by Peter Turner, Diocesan Child Protection Officer, was given to a large group of Deaf and hearing people who work within the Deaf community.

Police checks for all staff and volunteers have now been superseded by the more rigorous CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) enhanced check.

If you have any concerns regarding the pastoral care towards children or vulnerable people given by Deaf Service staff or volunteers, please bring it to the attention of

Mr Peter Turner
Diocesan Child Protection Officer
Diocese of Westminster
Vaughan House
46 Francis Street
London SW1P 1 QN
Tel: 020 7798 9350
Email: peterturner@rcdow.org.uk

Diocesan Child Protection Coordinator
Mgr Harry Turner
Our Lady of Lourdes
1 Kirkwick Avenue
Harpenden.
Herts AL5 2QH
Tel: 01582 712245
Mobile: 07814 879129
Email: harryturner@rcdow.org.uk

The Deaf Service welcomes both positive and negative feedback in informal or formal ways, and service users are given the opportunity to do this privately and confidentially. We support those who wish to make a formal complaint against the Service. The complaints procedure has four stages and copies are readily available for Service users and are written in accessible language.

If you wish to make a complaint about any person working for Westminster Diocese Deaf service (paid or unpaid) you should follow this procedure. At each stage of the procedure, the aim will be to reach an agreement, rather than move to the next stage.  If you are not happy with the results of each stage, you can move to the next stage.

1st Stage: The person making the complaint has an informal discussion with the person they are complaining about. (If this is not possible, you can go straight to the 2nd stage.)

2nd Stage: A formal complaint is registered. This complaint should be made to the Director of the service. (If the complaint is about the Director, you should go straight to the 3rd stage) You can make the complaint in 2 ways: 1) By talking to the Director. 2) By writing a letter, fax or e-mail to the Director at the above address. The Director will investigate the complaint. You will be informed about the Director’s decision. If you are not happy with the decision, you can move to the 3rd stage.

3rd Stage: The person making the complaint can complain formally to the Management Committee by writing a letter to the Chair of the Deaf Service Management Committee, c/o the above address. The Management Committee will discuss the complaint at the next management committee meeting. You will then be informed about the decision of the Management Committee. If you are unhappy with the decision, you can move to the 4th stage.

4th Stage: If you are not happy with the decision, the complaint will be passed to the Chair of the Westminster Diocese Department of Pastoral Affairs at the above address. The Chair of the Department of Pastoral Affairs, or his representative, will inform the Director about the Department’s decision.

Westminster Diocese Deaf Service will make sure that the person making the complaint has a fair chance to make their complaint, and that any member of staff, paid or unpaid, will have a fair chance to answer any criticisms made.

WDDS is committed to making sure that all people have equal access to the service, no matter whether they are female or male, what their income is, what their cultural, sexual or racial background is, whether they have a disability, or what their communication needs are.

WDDS is also committed to making sure that all staff and volunteers are recruited in accordance with the same policy of equal opportunity.

WDDS is committed to making sure that there is equal access for all service users by:

WDDS is funded by Westminster Diocese and is a registered charity (number 233699). Donations to any area of the work of the Deaf Service are always welcome.