LOCATE
COMPLAINT POLICY
OVERVIEW
A parent who is dissatisfied with
a caregiver may call LOCATE to register a complaint.
The counselor who receives this type of call must be prepared to talk
with the parent about his/her concerns, maintaining a position of
respect for the parent's rights and responsibilities in this matter.
In addition, the counselor must provide objective counsel to the
complainant and not form a judgment about the child care provider or
program being discussed.
Some difficulties between parents
and providers can be worked out over a period of time and with
discussion. Accordingly, a complainant is provided with
suggestions on how to approach the caregiver or center director, when
appropriate. However, if the parent calling LOCATE with
a concern feels that there has been a violation of a regulatory
standard, and it is serious enough to warrant an investigation by the
agency responsible for monitoring the facility, the counselor's role
in these situations becomes one of encouraging the parent to report
the violation to the appropriate authority, and providing him/her with
the name and phone number of the person(s) to whom complaints should
be addressed.
The LOCATE Complaint
Policy categorizes complaints according to the perceived seriousness
of the threat to the health, safety or welfare of the child. The
three types of complaints recognized are Serious Complaints, Less
Serious Complaints Involving Violation, and Less Serious Complaints-
No Violation. The counselor who is the recipient of a
complainant's concern will complete a Complaint Form during or
immediately after the conversation with the parent. The
counselor will report the complaint to the LOCATE Director or designee
and answer questions concerning the nature of the complaint.
After this discussion, the LOCATE Director or designee will
determine the category and initiate the process for temporarily
stopping referrals to the provider or program by LOCATE if necessary,
based on the perceived seriousness of the violation.
When a Serious Complaint
Involving Violation is received, referrals to the facility cease.
The LOCATE Director or designee contacts OCC concerning the
alleged violation, and informs the provider or program of LOCATE's
actions. The temporary halt on referrals will remain in effect
until the regulatory agency completes its investigation. The
decision to continue to halt referrals or resume referrals is based on
the action, if any, taken by the regulatory agency. The LOCATE
Director also informs the provider or program, by mail, that a
complaint has been lodged against them.
For complaints falling in the
category of Less Serious Complaints Involving Violation, the LOCATE
Director also informs the provider or program, by mail, that a
complaint has been lodged against them. When a complaint in the
category of Less Serious Complaints- No Violation is received, the LOCATE
Director or designee does not halt referrals, notify the regulatory
agency or notify the provider or program of the complaint.
