Complaints Policy
Mentorium Minds
Version: 2.0
Effective Date: 7 July 2026
Review Date: 7 July 2027
1. Purpose
Mentorium Minds is committed to providing professional, respectful and high-quality mentoring and coaching services. We value feedback and recognise that complaints provide an opportunity to improve the quality, consistency and effectiveness of our services.
This policy explains how concerns and complaints can be raised, investigated and resolved fairly, confidentially and promptly.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all services delivered by Mentorium Minds, including:
Specialist Mentoring funded through Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)
Workplace coaching and mentoring funded through Access to Work (ATW)
Privately funded mentoring services
It applies to:
Current clients.
Former clients who received services within the previous 12 months.
Individuals acting on behalf of a client where appropriate.
This policy covers concerns relating to, but not limited to:
Quality of support provided.
Professional conduct.
Communication.
Reliability and punctuality.
Confidentiality.
Equality, diversity and inclusion.
Professional boundaries.
Any other aspect of the services provided.
This policy does not apply to decisions made by universities, employers, Student Finance England, Access to Work, funding bodies, needs assessment centres or other third-party organisations.
3. Our Commitment
Mentorium Minds is committed to ensuring that all complaints are:
Taken seriously.
Handled professionally and respectfully.
Considered fairly and impartially.
Investigated appropriately.
Managed confidentially wherever possible.
Used to improve the quality of our services.
No client will be disadvantaged or treated less favourably because they have raised a genuine concern or complaint.
4. Informal Resolution
Where possible, concerns should be raised informally in the first instance, as many issues can be resolved quickly through discussion and clarification.
Clients may raise concerns by:
Emailing maryam@mentoriumminds.co.uk
Discussing the matter during a mentoring session where appropriate.
Where possible, Mentorium Minds aims to resolve informal concerns within five working days.
5. Formal Complaints
If a concern cannot be resolved informally, a formal complaint may be submitted.
Formal complaints should be made in writing and include:
The complainant's name.
Details of the complaint.
Relevant dates and times.
Any supporting evidence or documentation.
The outcome being sought.
Formal complaints should be submitted to:
6. Acknowledgement
All formal complaints will be acknowledged within five working days of receipt.
The acknowledgement will confirm:
Receipt of the complaint.
The next steps in the process.
The expected timescale for investigation.
7. Investigation
Each complaint will be investigated fairly, objectively and proportionately.
The investigation may include:
Reviewing relevant records and correspondence.
Reviewing mentoring notes where appropriate.
Considering evidence provided by the complainant.
Requesting additional information where necessary.
Clarifying any matters relevant to the complaint.
Where appropriate, further information may be requested to ensure a thorough and fair investigation.
8. Outcome
A written response will normally be provided within 20 working days of acknowledging the complaint.
Possible outcomes include:
Complaint upheld.
Complaint partially upheld.
Complaint not upheld.
Where appropriate, actions may include:
An apology.
Clarification of procedures.
Changes to working practices.
Additional professional development.
Service improvements.
Other appropriate remedial action.
Where a complaint relates to privately funded mentoring, appropriate remedies, including refunds or partial refunds where justified, may also be considered.
9. Review and Escalation
If the complainant remains dissatisfied following the outcome of the investigation, they may request that the decision be reviewed.
Where appropriate, complainants may also seek advice from relevant external organisations connected with the service received. This may include universities, employers, Access to Work, DSA-QAG, funding organisations or other appropriate oversight bodies.
10. Confidentiality
All information relating to complaints will be handled sensitively and only shared where necessary to investigate and resolve the matter.
Complaint records will be processed and stored in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and the Mentorium Minds Data Protection Policy.
11. Record Keeping
Mentorium Minds maintains confidential records of all formal complaints.
Records may include:
Date received.
Nature of the complaint.
Investigation undertaken.
Outcome.
Actions implemented.
Date the complaint was closed.
Complaint records will be retained securely for business, audit and quality assurance purposes in accordance with the Data Protection Policy.
12. Continuous Improvement
Mentorium Minds welcomes feedback as an opportunity to continually improve its services.
Where recurring themes or trends are identified, reasonable steps will be taken to improve policies, procedures, communication and service delivery.
13. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if required following changes in legislation, professional guidance or service delivery arrangements.
Approved by
Maryam Aslam
Founder & Specialist Mentor
Mentorium Minds
Date: 7 July 2026