MAKE A COMPLAINT

At Links Counselling Service we aim to ensure that each client, community and staff member treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to providing a professional and quality service and will take any complaint or grievance seriously. It is important to us that we have a clear, equitable and speedy procedure for investigating and responding to complaints.

Dispute and Grievance Procedure

 All Links Counselling Service counsellors are in supervision, trained to national standards and work under the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) code of ethics and practice, or equivalent standards.  

Any initial dispute or complaint about ethical or professional issues can be addressed at an informal level initially with the counselling manager. Every effort will be made to resolve the problem at this stage. At this point it will be made clear to the complainant that there is a formal process and that they have a right to use it. 

 On receipt of a formal complaint relating to the work of Links Counselling Service, an internal enquiry will be set in motion to investigate the complaint as a matter of urgency. The complainant will be informed by letter that this procedure has commenced.

The complaint will be investigated by a panel consisting of the counselling manager, the Chief Executive and a member of the Links Board. The panel will request a written response to the complaint from the counsellor or staff member concerned, and will meet to consider the substance of the complaint and the counsellor’s response. At this meeting the panel may decide that if they have insufficient evidence to resolve the matter. If not the panel may seek to gather further evidence by meeting with the counsellor or complainant.

Once the panel feels they have sufficient information to come to a conclusion, they will summarize their findings in writing and will communicate these findings and any further action or recommendations to the complainant and counsellor/staff member concerned. If not satisfied the complainant may wish to take the issue further with BACP or the counsellor’s awarding body.

 If the internal enquiry finds a prima facie case that a counsellor has acted in an unprofessional manner, or has breached the BACP Code of Ethics and Practice then this will become a matter for disciplinary proceedings within Links Counselling Service and for referral to the Standards and Ethics committee of BACP.

Where the complaint is against a senior management staff, the board of directors will intervene to ensure that the complaints procedure is carried out effectively. 

 If you have a complaint you can speak directly to a senior member of staff, you can do so by calling us on 028 38342825 and ask to speak to the manager. If preferred, you can us email here. 

If your complaint is against the C.E.O, you can send a letter to a board member, addressing it to  ‘The Chairperson of Links Counselling Service’ and post to the following address;

23a Castle Lane, Lurgan, BT67 9DB

For more information about BACP and their complaints dept, please click here.

For our full Complaints Procedure please click here.