Feedback and Complaints Policy

Purpose

Leichhardt Uniting Church affirms that all people have the right to be emotionally and physically safe, respected, and have their views and opinions valued.

Our Feedback and Complaints Policy is intended to ensure that Leichhardt Uniting Church facilitates a positive and robust culture of feedback within the church to improve the life of the community, as well as fair, efficient, and effective handling of complaints to ensure the wellbeing and safety of our congregation.

Scope

This policy applies to all ministers, staff, lay leaders, covenanted members, and active participants in the life of Leichhardt Uniting Church.

Feedback

We encourage those who participate in the life of the church to offer respectful and constructive feedback to Church ministers, staff members, lay leaders, and other church members and participants.

In the spirit of Matthew 18: 15-16, we encourage all church members to resolve any concerns at the earliest opportunity with each other, or failing that, seek further counsel from a member of Church Council.

Complaints

Formal written complaints can be made:

  • When the concern is of a serious nature; and,

  • When attempts to address the issue with the person or with the support of a member of Church Council has not resulted in a resolution being reached, or if it is not appropriate for the complainant to attempt to address the issue directly.

 Please contact the Church Council Secretary for more information about how to make a formal complaint (secretary@leichhardtuniting.org.au).

 Leichhardt Uniting Church will endeavour to address each complaint with fairness and integrity, and take all reasonable steps to ensure that people making complaints are not adversely affected because a complaint has been made by them or on their behalf.

Safe Church Mechanisms

The Feedback and Complaints Policy sits alongside the Safety and Protection Policy in promoting a culture of respect and safety at Leichhardt Uniting Church. This policy does not circumvent any legislation, Safe Church Practices, Child Safety, and/or any other reporting requirements.

If there is a matter relating to abuse or the potential risk of abuse, this must immediately be reported to the Synod Safe Church Unit, as well as relevant external law enforcement bodies and statutory agencies. The Safe Church Contact Person, ministers, and members of the Church Executive Team should also be informed, unless they are the subject of the concern. You can consult leaders in any of these identified roles for support and guidance about Safe Church Practices.

Records must be kept in accordance with legislation.

(A PDF version of the policy is available here.)

Approved by Church Council
26 March 2023