1. Booking

1.1 Appointments are booked through [Acuity Scheduling] at [BOOKING URL], or by agreement with me.

1.2 A booking is confirmed, and the contract is made, when you receive written confirmation from me. Where a fee applies, I will not begin work until payment has been received.

1.3 Before your first paid service you must accept the Client Service Agreement and complete the Consent and Permissions Form.

1.4 Face-to-face appointments are available within approximately [15] miles of [MAIDENHEAD]. Beyond that, travel may be charged; I will quote before booking.

2. Rescheduling and missed appointments

Situation

What happens

You reschedule with [24] or more hours’ notice

Moved free of charge, subject to availability. [Up to two] moves per booking.

You reschedule or cancel with less than [24] hours’ notice

One free reschedule per package; after that, [50]% of the session fee is retained for the time reserved. Discretion is always applied where a child or parent is ill.

You do not attend and do not tell me (“no-show”)

The session is treated as delivered. No refund or reschedule.

You arrive more than [15] minutes late

I may treat the session as missed. If I can still see you, the session ends at its scheduled finish time.

I need to move a session

You are offered the earliest reasonable alternative. If none suits, that session is refunded.

Illness or emergency (either of us)

I will always try to be fair and reasonable — please tell me as soon as you can.

3. Your 14-day statutory cancellation right

3.1 Because most bookings are made online or by phone, you may cancel within 14 days of entering the contract, without giving a reason, under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

3.2 Tell me in writing at [EMAIL] before the 14 days expire. A model cancellation form is included with the Client Service Agreement; you may use it but do not have to.

3.3 If you asked me to start during the 14 days, you must pay a proportionate amount for what has already been supplied. Once your bespoke written sleep plan has been delivered, that service is fully performed and the cancellation right for it is lost.

3.4 Refunds due under this section are paid within 14 days of receiving your cancellation, to the original payment method.

4. One-off packages

4.1 One-off packages are paid in full in advance and are complete when the deliverable has been provided.

4.2 After the 14-day period, one-off fees are non-refundable, except where I have not delivered what was promised, where the service was not performed with reasonable care and skill, or where I agree otherwise.

4.3 Unused elements of a package (for example an unbooked follow-up call) expire [3] months after purchase unless we agree otherwise in writing, as set out in Schedule 1 of the Client Service Agreement.

5. Memberships

5.1 Memberships have a [3]-month minimum term, then continue monthly until cancelled.

5.2 Cancel by giving [30] days’ written notice by email to [EMAIL] or through the cancellation option in your client portal — both are equally valid. I will confirm within [2] working days, telling you the date of your final payment and your last day of access.

5.3 Cancelling during the minimum term is possible only under the 14-day right, where I am in serious breach, or at my discretion (for example on compassionate grounds).

5.4 Monthly fees are not refunded in part. If you cancel part-way through a paid month, you keep full access until that month ends.

5.5 You may downgrade from your next payment date without notice; upgrades take effect immediately with the difference charged pro rata.

5.6 If a payment fails, I will retry within [5] working days and may suspend support after [10] working days until the account is up to date.

6. Pauses (“pause, don’t cancel”)

6.1 You may pause a membership for up to [2] consecutive months, once in any 12-month period, for reasons including illness, hospital admission, bereavement, family emergency or extended holiday.

6.2 Ask in writing before your next payment date. During a pause no fee is taken and no support is provided; any unexpired minimum term resumes when the pause ends.

6.3 If you do not restart at the end of the agreed pause, the membership resumes automatically at your usual tier and payments restart, unless you have cancelled.

7. Refunds

7.1 I will always refund where the law requires it, including where a service has not been supplied with reasonable care and skill and cannot be put right, or where I have cancelled a service I cannot reschedule.

7.2 I do not refund because the results you hoped for have not been achieved. Sleep support depends on consistent implementation at home and on many factors outside my control, and no outcome is guaranteed.

7.3 Approved refunds are made to the original payment method within [14] days.

7.4 If you are unhappy, please raise it with me first under my Complaints Policy — it is almost always quicker than a chargeback. If you do raise one, I will respond through my payment provider and your services continue as normal unless fees are genuinely unpaid.

8. If I have to cancel

If I cannot deliver a service because of illness, bereavement, technical failure or another event outside my control, I will contact you as soon as possible and either reschedule or refund the affected part of the service. Where a longer absence is unavoidable, I will extend membership access by the equivalent period or pause billing.

1. Who is responsible for your information

I am the data controller: [PRACTITIONER FULL LEGAL NAME], trading as MB Sleep Help, [ADDRESS].

Contact: [EMAIL] · [PHONE]

[Registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office, registration number [ICO NUMBER].]

I do not have a statutory Data Protection Officer; I deal with data protection matters personally.

2. The information I collect

About you (the parent or guardian)

Name, email address, telephone number, postal address, the names and ages of household members, payment card details (held by my payment provider, not by me), booking and appointment history, correspondence with me, marketing preferences.

About your child

Name, date of birth or age, sleep history and current sleep pattern, routine, sleep environment, feeding, behaviour, temperament, nursery or school arrangements.

Health and special category information about your child (and sometimes about you)

Medical conditions, diagnoses (including autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental diagnoses), medication, therapies, professional involvement, EHCP or SEN information, development, and any relevant parental health information you choose to share, such as post-natal mental health.

Website and marketing information

IP address, browser and device information, pages visited, cookie identifiers, email opens and clicks, and how you found me.

I only ask for what I need. If you would rather not share something, tell me — but be aware that missing information may limit how well I can help.

3. Where the information comes from

Almost always from you: enquiry forms, discovery calls, the intake questionnaire, sleep diaries, daily check-ins, messages and calls. Occasionally from a professional you have asked me to speak to (a school, SENCo, GP or therapist), or from another parent in your household. Website data comes from your device via cookies (see the Cookie Notice).

4. Why I use it, and my lawful basis

What I use it for

Lawful basis (UK GDPR Article 6)

Additional basis for health data (Article 9)

Answering enquiries and holding discovery calls

Legitimate interests — responding to someone who has contacted me

Explicit consent, where health information is shared

Assessing your family’s sleep and writing your plan

Performance of a contract with you

Explicit consent (Article 9(2)(a))

Providing ongoing coaching, messaging and reviews

Performance of a contract with you

Explicit consent

Taking payment, issuing invoices, keeping accounts

Legal obligation (tax law) and performance of a contract

—

Keeping records to defend a complaint or claim, and for insurance

Legitimate interests — protecting my legal position

Establishing, exercising or defending legal claims (Article 9(2)(f))

Safeguarding: recording and reporting a concern that a child may be at risk

Legitimate interests — protecting a child; vital interests where a child is in immediate danger

Substantial public interest — safeguarding of children (Article 9(2)(g), DPA 2018 Schedule 1 Part 2 paragraph 18)

Sending newsletters and marketing

Consent, or legitimate interests for existing clients (soft opt-in)

—

Using a testimonial, quotation, photograph or case study

Consent — always separate, always optional

Explicit consent where health information is involved

Running and securing the website

Legitimate interests — a working, secure site

—

Non-essential cookies and analytics

Consent

—

About consent. Where I rely on your explicit consent to process health information about your child, you may withdraw it at any time by emailing [EMAIL]. Withdrawing consent does not affect anything done beforehand, and it does not affect records I must keep for legal, insurance or safeguarding reasons. If you withdraw consent, I will usually be unable to continue providing the service.

5. Children’s information

5.1 My services are bought by adults, on behalf of their children. I do not offer services directly to children and I do not communicate with children directly.

5.2 Information about a child is provided by the parent or guardian who holds parental responsibility, and I rely on you confirming that you hold it.

5.3 Children’s information deserves particular protection, and I treat it accordingly: it is kept to the minimum needed, held securely, never used for marketing or profiling, and never sold or shared for anyone else’s commercial purposes.

5.4 As a child gets older they may exercise their own data rights. Where a child is capable of understanding, I will take their views into account in any request about their information.

6. Who I share it with

I never sell your information. I share it only as follows:

Recipient

Purpose

Role

[Squarespace]

Website and enquiry forms

Processor

[Acuity Scheduling]

Appointment booking

Processor

[Stripe]

Card payments and subscription billing

Processor / independent controller for fraud and compliance

[Paperbell / Practice]

Client portal, contracts, intake forms

Processor

[Tally / Jotform]

Daily check-in and questionnaire forms

Processor

[Google Workspace]

Email, documents, calendar, storage

Processor

[Klaviyo]

Newsletters and automated client emails

Processor

[WhatsApp (Meta)]

Messaging support, where your tier includes it

Independent controller of the messaging platform

[Accountant / bookkeeper]

Accounts and tax

Processor

[Cloud backup provider]

Secure backup of my records

Processor

Insurer and professional advisers

Handling a claim or complaint

Independent controllers

Local authority children’s services, the police, or another safeguarding agency

Where a child may be at risk of harm

Independent controllers

Your child’s school, nursery, GP or other professional

Only with your written consent, or where safeguarding applies

Independent controllers

Each supplier is bound by a contract that requires them to keep your information secure and use it only on my instructions.

7. Where your information is held

My records are stored in the United Kingdom and the European Economic Area wherever possible. Some suppliers ([Stripe], [Klaviyo], [Google], [Meta]) process data in the United States or elsewhere. Where that happens, transfers are protected by UK adequacy regulations, the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, or the UK extension to the EU–US Data Privacy Framework. You can ask me for details of the safeguards in place.

8. How long I keep it

Record

Retention period

Enquiries that do not become clients

[12] months from last contact

Client file: intake, diaries, plans, reviews, correspondence

[7] years from the end of our working relationship, or until the child’s 25th birthday, whichever is later

Signed agreements and consent records

[7] years from the end of the agreement

Financial and payment records

[6] years (HMRC requires records to be kept for at least 5 years after the 31 January filing deadline)

Safeguarding records and referrals

[25] years from the date of the record, or as advised by the local authority

Marketing list membership

Until you unsubscribe, or [24] months of no engagement

Website analytics and cookie data

[14–26] months, depending on the tool

Call recordings (where you have consented)

[12] months

WhatsApp and casual message threads

[12] months, with anything substantive saved to the client file

Full detail is in my Retention Schedule, available on request.

9. How I keep it safe

Password-protected and encrypted devices; multi-factor authentication on email, storage and payment accounts; access limited to me [and [NAMED ASSOCIATE]]; no client records on unsecured personal devices; paper notes kept locked and transferred to the digital file promptly; card details never stored by me; regular backups; and a written breach procedure so that any incident is assessed and, where required, reported to the ICO within 72 hours.

10. Your rights

You have the right to: be informed; obtain a copy of your information (a subject access request); have inaccurate information corrected; have information erased in certain circumstances; restrict processing; portability; object to processing based on legitimate interests; object to direct marketing at any time, which I must always honour; withdraw consent at any time; and not be subject to solely automated decision-making — which I do not carry out.

To exercise any right, email [EMAIL]. I will respond within one month, and will tell you if I need longer because the request is complex. There is no charge unless a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.

Where a request concerns a child’s information, I will consider who is making it, whether they hold parental responsibility, the child’s own views where they are old enough, and the child’s best interests.

11. Complaints

11.1 If you are unhappy with how I have handled your information, please tell me first at [EMAIL] with “Data protection complaint” in the subject line. I will acknowledge within 30 days, as required by section 103 of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, and aim to give you an outcome within three months, in line with ICO guidance.

11.2 You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint, or 0303 123 1113, or Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF. The ICO may ask you to raise the matter with me first.

12. Changes

I review this notice at least annually and whenever my services or tools change. The current version is always published at [WEBSITE URL/privacy], and I will tell existing clients directly about any significant change.

1. What cookies are

Cookies are small files placed on your device when you visit a website. They let a site work properly, remember your choices, and — if you allow it — help the owner understand how the site is used. This notice covers cookies and similar technologies such as pixels, tags and local storage on [mbsleephelp.co.uk].

2. Your choice

Under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003, I may only place non-essential cookies with your consent. When you first visit the site you will see a banner allowing you to accept all, reject all, or choose. You can change your mind at any time via [Cookie settings] in the footer, or by clearing cookies in your browser.

Rejecting non-essential cookies will not stop you using the site or booking an appointment.

3. Cookies used on this site

Type

Purpose

Examples

Consent needed?

Typical lifespan

Strictly necessary

Making the site work: page loading, security, form submission, booking and checkout sessions, and remembering your cookie choice

[Squarespace] session and security cookies; [Acuity] booking session; [Stripe] fraud-prevention cookies; the consent-preference cookie

No

Session to [12] months

Functional

Remembering preferences such as a saved form or your display settings

[Squarespace] preference cookies

Yes

Up to [12] months

Analytics

Understanding which pages are useful, in aggregate

[Squarespace Analytics], [Google Analytics 4]

Yes

[14–26] months

Marketing and email tracking

Measuring campaigns and whether an email was opened or clicked

[Klaviyo], [Meta pixel], [Google Ads]

Yes

Up to [13] months

Replace the bracketed examples with the exact list your site actually sets — a cookie scan of the live site will tell you. Do not list a cookie you do not use, and do not omit one you do.

4. Third-party cookies

Some cookies are set by the suppliers named above rather than by me. Their own privacy policies govern how they use the information: [Squarespace], [Acuity], [Stripe], [Google], [Klaviyo], [Meta]. Embedded content, such as an Instagram feed or a YouTube video, may also set cookies when it loads.

5. Managing cookies in your browser

Every major browser lets you block or delete cookies through its settings. Guidance is at aboutcookies.org. Blocking all cookies may stop parts of this site, including booking and payment, from working.

6. More information

How I use personal data more generally is set out in my Privacy Notice. Questions about this notice: [EMAIL].

1. Statement of intent

Every child has the right to be safe. As a sleep practitioner and qualified teacher working with families, I may be one of the few professionals who sees a family’s night-time reality. I take that responsibility seriously. Safeguarding is everyone’s business, and the welfare of the child is paramount.

This policy explains what I do to keep children safe, what I do if I am worried about a child, and what families can expect from me. It applies to all my work — online, by message, in family homes, and in schools, nurseries or workplace settings.

2. Scope and legal framework

This policy has regard to: the Children Act 1989 and 2004; Working Together to Safeguard Children (statutory guidance); Keeping Children Safe in Education where I work in or with a school; the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006; the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR; and the procedures of [LOCAL SAFEGUARDING PARTNERSHIP, e.g. Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead / Berkshire].

It applies to me, to anyone working with or for MB Sleep Help, and to any associate, contractor or volunteer.

3. Roles

Designated person for safeguarding: [PRACTITIONER FULL LEGAL NAME], MB Sleep Help — [EMAIL], [PHONE].

As a sole practitioner I am my own designated person. Because that is a lonely position, I will seek advice from the local authority’s professional consultation line, [NAMED SAFEGUARDING SUPERVISOR / SUPERVISION ARRANGEMENT], or the NSPCC Helpline before acting, wherever time allows.

4. Safer practice

• DBS. I hold an [enhanced] DBS certificate dated [DATE], number [NUMBER], obtained through [UMBRELLA BODY], and I [am registered with the DBS Update Service / renew it every [3] years]. Since 21 January 2026 self-employed practitioners have been able to obtain enhanced checks through a registered umbrella body where the role is eligible. Barred-list information can only be included where the work is “regulated activity” — check eligibility with the umbrella body before assuming it applies; a school or nursery engagement may qualify where my usual parent-facing work does not.

• Training. I hold [Level 2] safeguarding children training, completed [DATE], and I refresh it every [2] years. [Prevent awareness / online safety training as applicable.]

• Qualifications and insurance. Level 5 accredited Children’s Sleep Practitioner; qualified teacher; professional indemnity and public liability insurance with [INSURER].

• Working with children. I work with parents and carers, not directly with children. I do not communicate one-to-one with a child by message, and I am not left alone with a child.

• Home visits. A parent or carer is present throughout. I do not visit a child’s bedroom unaccompanied. I record the date, time, attendees and purpose of every visit.

• Online sessions. Calls are booked in advance with the account holder, held in an appropriate room, and not recorded without written consent.

• Photographs. I ask only for images of the sleep environment, never of an unclothed child. Any image sent that raises concern is preserved and reported, not deleted.

• Boundaries. I do not offer to babysit, transport children, meet families socially, or connect with client children on social media.

• Records. Client and safeguarding records are kept securely and separately, and safeguarding records are retained for [25] years.

5. Recognising concerns

Categories of abuse: physical, emotional, sexual, and neglect, alongside specific risks including domestic abuse, parental substance misuse, parental mental ill-health, exploitation, so-called honour-based abuse, female genital mutilation, radicalisation, and online harm.

Because of the nature of my work I am particularly alert to: a child’s sleep environment being unsafe or absent; a child left alone or locked in a room at night; a child routinely unsupervised overnight; disclosures of shouting, hitting or frightening behaviour at bedtime; a parent describing feelings of anger or desperation towards a child; a parent’s exhaustion escalating into risk; unexplained injuries described to me; a child appearing withdrawn or fearful on a video call; a disclosure by a parent about their own or another adult’s behaviour; a parent under the influence during a session; and the particular vulnerability of neurodivergent and disabled children, who are statistically at higher risk of abuse and less likely to be able to tell anyone.

Sleep deprivation is genuinely hard on families, and being worn out is not itself a safeguarding concern. My duty is to notice when exhaustion tips into risk, and to respond with support, not judgement.

6. What I do if I am worried

1. Listen and record. If someone discloses something, I listen without leading, promising confidentiality, or investigating. I do not ask probing questions.

2. Write it down. Within [24] hours (and where possible immediately) I record what was said or seen, in the speaker’s own words where I can, with date, time, place, who was present, and the facts separated from my opinion.

3. Seek advice from the local authority’s professional consultation line or the NSPCC Helpline, unless the risk is immediate.

4. Refer. If I believe a child is suffering or at risk of significant harm, I refer to [LOCAL AUTHORITY CHILDREN’S SERVICES / MASH] on [NUMBER], the same working day, and confirm in writing within [24] hours.

5. Emergency. If a child is in immediate danger, I call 999 first.

6. Tell the parents — unless doing so would place the child at greater risk, impede a police investigation, or is otherwise inadvisable. Wherever it is safe, I am open about what I am doing and why.

7. Follow up. If I do not hear back, I chase. If I disagree with the outcome, I escalate using the local partnership’s escalation procedure.

8. Look after myself. I use [SUPERVISION ARRANGEMENT] afterwards; carrying this alone is not safe practice.

I do not need parental consent to make a safeguarding referral, and I will not seek it where doing so would put a child at risk. Sharing information for safeguarding purposes is lawful under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK GDPR.

7. Allegations against me

If an allegation is made against me or anyone working with me, it will be referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for [AREA] on [NUMBER] within one working day. I will cooperate fully, will not investigate it myself, and will notify my insurer. Where a person working for MB Sleep Help is removed from working with children because they have caused harm, I will make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service where that duty applies to me, and voluntarily in any event.

8. Adults at risk

If I am concerned about a parent or another adult who is at risk of harm — including domestic abuse or a serious risk of self-harm — I will follow the same principles, seek advice from [LOCAL AUTHORITY ADULT SOCIAL CARE] on [NUMBER], and call 999 where there is immediate danger. I will signpost to specialist support such as the National Domestic Abuse Helpline (0808 2000 247) or the Samaritans (116 123).

9. Key contacts

Who

Contact

Emergency

999

Police non-emergency

101

[Local authority children’s services / MASH]

[NUMBER] · [EMAIL] · out of hours [NUMBER]

[Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)]

[NUMBER]

[Local authority adult social care]

[NUMBER]

NSPCC Helpline

0808 800 5000 · help@nspcc.org.uk

Childline

0800 1111

NHS urgent advice

111

National Domestic Abuse Helpline

0808 2000 247

Samaritans

116 123

10. Review

I review this policy every [12] months, and immediately after any safeguarding incident or change in guidance. Families are told where to find it, and it forms part of the Client Service Agreement.

Signed: ______________________________ [PRACTITIONER FULL LEGAL NAME], MB Sleep Help Date: ____________

This policy explains how and when we communicate, what response times apply to each membership tier, and how messaging is kept safe, professional and sustainable. It forms part of the Client Service Agreement.

1. Channels

Channel

Used for

Notes

Email — [EMAIL]

Contracts, invoices, plans, formal notices, complaints, cancellations

Valid channel for cancellation and complaint notices

WhatsApp [Business] — [NUMBER]

Day-to-day coaching messages for tiers that include it

See clauses 3 and 6

Telephone / video

Scheduled assessment, kick-off, check-in and rescue calls

Booked through [Acuity]

I do not provide support through Instagram, Facebook or other social media direct messages. Messages sent there may not be seen; I will ask you to move to your usual channel.

2. Hours

2.1 My working hours are [Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm], excluding bank holidays and notified leave. Extended messaging windows apply to some tiers, as set out below.

2.2 I will tell you in advance of planned leave and who, if anyone, is covering. For absences longer than [7] days I will extend your membership access or pause billing accordingly.

2.3 Messages sent outside the hours for your tier will be answered on the next working day. Please do not expect an immediate reply at night — this is a coaching service, not a monitoring service.

3. Response times by tier

Tier

Channel and hours

Target response

Steady

Email / portal only

Within [48] hours, working days

Supported

WhatsApp, [Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm]

Within [1] working day

Sleep Close

WhatsApp, [7am–7pm, 6 days]

Same working day, priority

One-off Ongoing Sleep Support

WhatsApp / phone, [7 days, 7am–9pm] for the purchased period

Within [1] working day

These are targets during normal working conditions, not contractual guarantees. If I am ill or unexpectedly unavailable I will tell you as soon as I reasonably can.

4. Emergencies

This service is not for emergencies. If a child is unwell, injured, or you are worried about immediate safety, contact 999, NHS 111 or your GP. If you are struggling with your own mental health, contact your GP, NHS 111, or the Samaritans on 116 123. Do not wait for a reply from me.

5. Fair use

5.1 Messaging is included for reasonable, good-faith use in support of your plan — typically [a few] exchanges on a normal day, more when something has changed.

5.2 Messaging is not a substitute for a call. If a question needs more than a short written answer, I will ask you to book a check-in or rescue call.

5.3 If use consistently exceeds what the tier is designed for, I will discuss moving you to a tier that fits better, rather than simply stopping replying.

6. Keeping messages safe and professional

6.1 Please keep clinical detail, photographs and documents in the client portal or email rather than WhatsApp wherever possible. WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted in transit but sit on your device and mine.

6.2 Please do not send photographs or video of a child unclothed, in the bath, or in bed undressed. If you do, I will delete them and remind you of this policy. Where such an image raises a safeguarding concern, I will follow the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

6.3 Do not record calls or messages without my written consent; I will not record you without yours.

6.4 I keep a record of substantive advice given by message, as part of your client file, and delete casual message threads in line with my Retention Schedule.

6.5 Messages are between me and the parent or guardian who holds the account. I do not communicate directly with children.

7. Respect

7.1 I will always speak to you with courtesy and without judgement, and I ask the same in return. Abusive, threatening or discriminatory messages may result in support being suspended or the agreement being terminated under clause 11 of the Client Service Agreement.

7.2 Exhaustion makes people short-tempered, and I understand that. If something has gone wrong, please tell me directly — my Complaints Policy exists for exactly that.

8. Marketing messages

Newsletters, offers and other marketing are sent only where you have subscribed or are an existing client who has not opted out, and every message includes an unsubscribe link. Opting out of marketing never affects service messages about your plan, appointments or payments.

1. My commitment

If something has gone wrong, I want to know. A complaint is not a nuisance — it is the fastest way for me to put something right and to improve the service. You will never be treated differently for raising one, and it will not affect the support your family receives.

2. What this covers

Any concern about the service you have received: the advice given, how I communicated, timescales, fees and billing, cancellation or refunds, a member of my team, or how a safeguarding or data protection matter was handled.

Complaints specifically about how your personal data has been handled follow the same route but with the statutory timescales set out in clause 6.

3. Stage 1 — Talk to me

3.1 Most things are resolved quickly and informally. Email [EMAIL] with “Complaint” in the subject line, or ask for a call.

3.2 Please tell me what happened, when, what effect it had, and what you would like me to do.

3.3 I will acknowledge within [5] working days and aim to resolve straightforward matters within that first conversation.

4. Stage 2 — Formal review

4.1 If it is not resolved informally, or you would rather go straight to a formal complaint, say so in writing.

4.2 I will:

• acknowledge in writing within [5] working days;

• review everything relevant, including notes, messages and recordings;

• contact you if I need to understand anything better; and

• give you a full written response within [20] working days, explaining what I found, whether I uphold the complaint, what I am doing about it, and any remedy offered.

4.3 If I need longer — for example if I am on leave or the matter is complex — I will tell you why and give a new date, which will not be more than [40] working days from your complaint.

5. Stage 3 — If you are still unhappy

5.1 You may ask for the decision to be reviewed by [an independent professional colleague / [ADR PROVIDER], if appointed]. [Note: at the date of this policy I am not a member of an approved alternative dispute resolution scheme; if that changes, this policy will be updated.]

5.2 You retain all your statutory rights, including the right to take the matter to court, and you may seek free advice from Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or citizensadvice.org.uk.

5.3 Complaints about my professional conduct may also be raised with [PROFESSIONAL BODY / AWARDING ORGANISATION, if any] and, where insurance is engaged, with [INSURER].

6. Data protection complaints

6.1 If your complaint is about how I have collected, used, shared or stored personal information, I will acknowledge it within 30 days, as required by section 103 of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, and give you an outcome in plain language, aiming to do so within three months, in line with ICO guidance.

6.2 You may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office — ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint, 0303 123 1113, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF. The ICO will normally expect you to have raised it with me first.

7. Safeguarding

Concerns about the safety or welfare of a child are not handled as complaints. They are dealt with immediately under the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. If your concern is about my own conduct towards a child, you may contact the Local Authority Designated Officer for [AREA] on [NUMBER] directly, without coming to me first.

8. Records and learning

Every complaint is logged with the date, the issue, the actions taken, the outcome and any change made as a result. Records are kept for [7] years and reviewed annually to spot patterns. Learning from complaints feeds into how I update these policies.