Feedback

Willowbridge Community Services Inc. is committed to offering services that are relevant to, and informed by, our community. We believe that a complaints and feedback process is an important part of providing quality service. Our policy is to respond to complaints and feedback from individuals, caregivers, or other members of the community promptly, consistently and through an open and documented process.

Here at Willowbridge, we recognize that the way we handle your feedback is critical to your on-going relationship with us. Anyone who wishes to make a complaint under this policy may do so without fear of retaliation or reprisal. Employees, students or volunteers of Willowbridge who retaliate against someone who has, in good faith, reported a violation under this policy are subject to discipline up to and including termination.

Individuals receiving service, their family members or persons acting on their behalf will receive information about the agency’s Complaints/Feedback Policy & Procedures during the intake process. Should you choose to file a complaint, our feedback portal is available on this page and throughout our website. You can alternatively choose to provide us with feedback over the phone, in-person, or in a written letter.

You are encouraged to discuss concerns with the employee who is providing service to you before reaching out to a manager. At any point in the process, the complainant has the right to have a support person, a representative, and/or other significant person present to witness and/or assist them in presenting their concerns. If the individual or their family member is uncomfortable, is unable to talk directly to the employee, is feeling that there may be a conflict of interest, or if they are not fully satisfied that the situation is resolved, they may contact the employee’s supervisor using our feedback portal, in-person, by phone or by letter.

Complaints will be responded to within two (2) working days of receipt, and an investigation will be initiated by the Program Manager. The Manager will consider all information about the situation and may arrange a meeting between the service recipient and the employee. All efforts will be made at this level to ensure that the issue is resolved in an appropriate manner within five (5) working days of learning of the concern. More serious concerns or complaints may take a longer time to resolve.

If the individual, their family members or persons acting on their behalf, or members of the general public, continue to feel that their concern has not been resolved with either the employee or the employee’s manager, they may direct their concerns in writing to the Executive Director. A meeting with the Executive Director will be arranged within two (2) weeks of receipt of the complaint.

The Executive Director will respond in writing within five (5) working days of the meeting. If necessary, the Board of Directors will be acquainted with the complaint. The decision of the Executive Director will be final and binding on the agency and the individual, their family members or persons acting on their behalf.

This policy will not apply to complaints concerning issues over which Willowbridge Community Services In. has no jurisdiction or control or in cases in which client complaints are directed through external mechanisms, which may include a Member of Parliament or the Provincial Legislature, the Provincial Ombudsman, the Office of the Child and Family Service Advocate, another government agency or department, a funder of the Willowbridge Community Services Inc., the media. Such complaints will be reviewed by the Program Manager and/or the Executive Director and an appropriate response will be provided.

To request a full copy of our complaints and feedback policy, please contact us using the complaints portal, by email, phone, in-person, or with a letter.