When the mediator has concluded her/his investigations, a final meeting between the parent and the pre-school manager is held. The purpose of this meeting is to reach a decision on the action to be taken to deal with the complaint. The mediator's advice is used to reach this conclusion. The mediator is present at the meeting if all parties think this will help a decision to be reached.

A record of this meeting, including the decision on the action to be taken, is made. Everyone present at the meeting signs the record and receives a copy of it. This signed record signifies that the procedure has concluded.

The role of the Office for Standards in Education, Early Years Directorate (OFSTED)

Parents may approach OFSTED directly at any stage of this complaints procedure but should certainly do so if a complaint is not resolved at stage 5. In addition, where there seems to be a possible breach of the pre-school's registration requirements, it is essential to involve OFSTED as the registering and inspection body with a duty to ensure the National Standards for Day Care are adhered to.

The address and telephone number of OFSTED is:

2nd Floor
Royal Exchange Buildings
St. Ann's Square
Manchester
M2 7LA
08456 404040

Records

Usually a record of complaints against the pre-school and/or the children and/or the adults working in the pre-school is kept, including the date, the circumstances of the complaint and how the complaint was managed.

The outcome of all complaints is recorded in the Complaints Summary Record that is available for parents on request and OFSTED inspectors.

Complaints relating to Child Protection

In the event of any disclosure of a concern about child protection by a child or adult to the pre-school or the parent then the Area Safeguarding Children Committee at the local authority should be contacted immediately. Complaints under this heading are only made available in confidence to designated professionals and the parents, as long as the parents are not themselves involved in the child's disclosure of such a concern.

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Text for this page: Stage 5: Conclusion
Text for this whole section: When you have to make a formal complaint