1. Our commitment

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Metacognition (IALM) aims to provide a high standard of service to its members, partners and the public. We welcome feedback of all kinds, and we take complaints seriously: they help us put things right and improve what we do.

We follow the recognised definition of a complaint as an expression of dissatisfaction, whether justified or not, about the standard of service, action or lack of action by the Institute or those acting on its behalf. We aim to handle complaints promptly, fairly, confidentially and without any disadvantage to the person raising them.

2. What this policy covers

This policy applies to complaints about the Institute's services, activities, events, communications, or the conduct of its staff, volunteers or trustees acting on its behalf.

Some matters are dealt with under other procedures, to ensure they are handled properly:

• a complaint about the professional conduct of a member is dealt with under the IALM Disciplinary Code;
• an appeal against a decision on membership or grading is dealt with under the IALM Appeals Code; and
• a concern about serious wrongdoing or malpractice is dealt with under the IALM Whistleblowing Policy.

If you are unsure which route applies, please contact us and we will direct your concern to the right process.

3. How to raise a complaint

A Complaints Form is available to help you set out your complaint, although you are not required to use it.

Stage 1 — informal resolution

It is usually quickest to raise your concern directly with the person or team you have been dealing with, who will do their best to put things right. Many matters can be resolved at this stage.

Stage 2 — formal complaint

If the matter is not resolved informally, or you would prefer to raise it formally, please put your complaint in writing to the Executive Director at Institute for Advanced Learning & Metacognition, 23 Old Oak Gardens, Walton Le Dale, Preston, PR5 4BF, UK. Please describe what happened, when, who was involved, and what you would like us to do to put things right.

4. How we will handle your complaint

1. We will acknowledge your complaint in writing within 5 working days, and let you know who is dealing with it.
2. We will investigate, and send you a full written response within 20 working days. If the complaint is complex and we need longer, we will tell you and give you a revised date (normally within one calendar month).
3. Our response will explain our findings and what we propose to do to resolve the matter.

5. If you remain dissatisfied

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may ask the Chair of the Board of Trustees to review the matter. Please do so within one calendar month of the date of our response, explaining why you remain dissatisfied.

The review will be carried out by a person who has not previously been involved in the complaint (which, until the Institute has a wider staff or committee structure, will be a trustee who has had no prior involvement). We will send you a final written response within 20 working days. This represents the final stage of the Institute's internal complaints process.

6. Taking a complaint further

The internal process above is the appropriate route for most complaints. In certain cases, you may also contact an external body:

• if your complaint concerns our fundraising, you may refer it to the Fundraising Regulator;
• if you have a serious concern about the way the Institute is run or governed, you may contact the Charity Commission for England and Wales (the Commission does not normally adjudicate service complaints, but does consider serious regulatory concerns); and
• if your complaint concerns how we have handled your personal data, you may contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

7. Recording and learning from complaints

We keep a confidential record of formal complaints and how they were resolved. We review this information periodically, and report to the Board of Trustees, so that we can identify trends and improve our services.

8. Unreasonable or abusive behaviour

We treat everyone who contacts us with respect, and we ask for the same in return. In the rare event that a person behaves abusively, or pursues a complaint in a way that is unreasonable or persistent after it has been fully addressed, we may place proportionate limits on our contact with them, while continuing to deal with any legitimate matters they raise.

9. Confidentiality and data protection

Complaints are handled confidentially, and shared only with those who need to be involved in resolving them. Any personal data is processed in accordance with the IALM Privacy Policy and data protection law.

10. Related documents

• IALM Complaints Form;
• IALM Disciplinary Code;
• IALM Appeals Code;
• IALM Whistleblowing Policy; and
• IALM Privacy Policy.

11. Review of this policy

This policy will be reviewed by the Board of Trustees at least every two years, or sooner if required, to ensure it remains effective.

The Board of Trustees approved this policy on 24th June 2026.