Fundraising Complaints Procedure
Your views are important to us and we take every complaint seriously. We are committed to high standards in everything that we do, but we realise that sometimes we get things wrong and that not everyone will agree with what we do.
We welcome feedback because it enables us to improve the services we offer and helps us to improve our communication to you.
We promise to take all complaints seriously, and to deal with them in a timely manner.
Please note that this procedure should not be used for complaints regarding our Children’s Services. If you have a comment or complaint regarding a specific Service for children or young people, please use our online Feedback form.
How to Complain
Stage 1 – Supporter Care Team
You may send your complaint to us in any of the following ways:
Call: our Supporter Care Team on 0800 008 7005
Email: supportercare@barnardos.org.uk
Online: complete our Feedback form
Write to:
Supporter Care Team
Barnardo’s
Tanners Lane
Ilford, Essex
IG6 1QG
We will try to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. Whatever the complaint, you can expect us to respond within the following times:
- we will answer your call within 3 rings and you will receive a full response within 7 working days
- emails will be acknowledged within 8 business hours and you will receive a full response within 7 working days.
- we will provide a full response to most letters within 7 working days; for more complex ones, we will acknowledge them within 7 days and provide a full response within 14 working days.
Stage 2 – Supporter Care Manager
If for any reason we have not resolved the complaint to your satisfaction, please bring the matter to the attention of our Supporter Care Manager by writing to them at the above address (Tanners Lane, Ilford, Essex IG6 1QG).
Please explain clearly why you feel that your complaint has not been properly resolved and what it is that you want us to do.
The same response times will apply as at Stage 1.
Stage 3 – Appeal Panel
If you are still not satisfied with our response, please inform the Supporter Care Manager.
Your complaint will then be passed to an independent senior manager who will set up an appeal panel.
The panel, comprising no fewer than three senior managers, will meet to review the complaint within the next 15 working days.
The senior manager leading the panel will then contact you with the panel’s conclusions within 10 working days of the panel’s review.
Stage 4 – Taking your complaint outside Barnardo’s
In the event that you remain dissatisfied with the response you have received, you are entitled to take your complaint to the Fundraising Standards Board.
This is an independent body that works to ensure that charities raising money from the public do so honestly and properly.
Barnardo’s is a member of the Fundraising Standards Board and we are therefore committed to abide by any decision they reach on complaints which are escalated to them.
Their contact details for England are:
The Fundraising Standards Board
61 London Fruit Exchange
Brushfield Street
London E1 6EP
Tel: 0845 402 5442
Email: info@frsb.org.uk
Their contact details for Wales are:
Fundraising Standards Board
PO Box 564
Swansea
SA8 9AG
Tel: 0845 026 8931
Email: simonb@frsb.org.uk
Their contact details for Scotland and Northern Ireland are:
1st Floor
Thistle House
91 Haymarket Terrace
Edinburgh
EH12 5HE
Tel: 0845 688 9894
Email: infoscotland@frsb.org.uk