Compliments, concerns and complaints policy

The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) is committed to ensuring that its work is of the highest quality, and to providing a professional, caring and friendly service. We believe that it is important we are made aware of the things we are doing well, but also the areas that require improvement.  
The BDA recognises that compliments, concerns and complaints are an important part of customer feedback, and aims to ensure that:
 
The process is fair, easy and as transparent as possible:

• The process is accessible to all.
• Making a complaint will not harm or prejudice the service that is given to the complainant.
• Concerns and complaints are dealt with efficiently, appropriately and are investigated within the agreed time frame.
• Complainants receive a timely and appropriate response, identifying the outcome of any investigation.
• Action is taken where necessary in the light of the outcome of the complaint. This might include an explanation or an apology and if relevant and appropriate, information on any action taken.
• We learn from complaints and use them to review and improve our services.

Compliments

We hope that our services and activities are making a positive difference to individuals, communities and across society. Where you have had a positive experience of the BDA, please do contact us to let us know the impact our work has had. 
We would love to hear how our volunteers, staff, information and services have been of use. Please contact the Complaints Officer (contact details can be found at the end of this policy) to send us a compliment.

Complaints

The procedures set out below explains how you can make a complaint about the quality of our services.

We encourage anyone with a concern or complaint to raise it with us informally first, wherever possible. Often, issues can be resolved quickly and constructively through open communications, without the need for a formal process. However, we recognise that this won’t always be appropriate or sufficient, and we are committed to ensuring that anyone who wishes to make a formal complaint is able to do so.

Stage 1 – Informal concerns or complaints

The BDA takes all concerns seriously and will make every effort to resolve the matter as quickly as possible. 

• If you have a concern about any aspect of our services, please speak to or email the individual(s) concerned in the first instance.
• If it is not appropriate to contact the individual concerned, for example, the complaint relates to them; or you do not know who to contact, please contact the Complaints Officer, and they will forward your email to a suitable member of staff.
• All concerns will be acknowledged by the member of staff to whom you communicated your concern or by the complaints officer within 5 working days.
• In order for us to resolve your issue to the best of our ability, please include as much detail as possible regarding your concern, including any relevant communications or documentation.
• We will aim to address your concerns within 10 working days of the date of acknowledgement, either in writing or by arranging a meeting with you to discuss the issue.

Stage 2 - Formal complaints

If you are not satisfied with the response you received at Stage 1, or you would prefer your complaint to be formally investigated, you can request your complaint be escalated to Stage 2, either through your contact at Stage 1, or directly to the Complaints Officer.

• Please send all details of your complaint and the reasons for escalation, to the Complaints Officer at complaints@bdadyslexia.org.uk, or in writing to Complaints, British Dyslexia Association, Access Business Centre, Bracknell, RG12 8FB.  
• The Complaints Officer will record the date the complaint is received and acknowledge receipt by email within 5 working days.
• The Complaints Officer will forward your complaint to the relevant member of the management team who will investigate your complaint.
• This may involve interviewing those involved, reviewing any relevant documentation or asking you for further information.
• You will receive a formal written response to your complaint within 20 working days from the date of acknowledgement. We may extend this timeframe if circumstances require – for example, if key staff involved in the investigation are on annual leave. If an extension is needed, we will let you know as soon as possible and keep you updated.
• The response will detail any actions taken to investigate the complaint and provide a full explanation of the decision made and the reason(s) for it. Where appropriate, it will include details of actions that the BDA will take to resolve the complaint or recommend changes to BDA’s systems or procedures to prevent similar issues arising in the future.

Where a complaint concerns a member of the Senior Management Team, the complaint will be sent to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Where a complaint concerns the CEO or any member of the Board of Trustees, a suitably skilled independent Trustee will be appointed to complete all the actions of Stage 2.

Stage 3 - Appeal

If you feel that you did not receive a satisfactory response to your complaint in Stage 2, you can contact the Complaints Officer to appeal (Stage 3).  This is the final stage in the complaints process.
 

• You must state clearly the grounds upon which you consider the outcome of Stage 2 to be unfair or incorrect.
• The Complaints Officer will record the date the Stage 3 appeal is received and will acknowledge receipt by email within 5 working days.
• The Complaints Officer will forward your appeal to the CEO who will investigate.
• The CEO will provide a formal written outcome of their investigation within 20 working days of the date of acknowledgement of the appeal.
• If the CEO is unable to meet this deadline, they will provide you with an alternative response date.
• Once the CEO has considered the appeal and all the relevant evidence, they will either uphold the complaint (in whole or in part) or dismiss the complaint (in whole or in part). 

Next steps

If you believe that the BDA has not handled your complaint in accordance with the published complaints policy or that the BDA has acted unlawfully you can contact the relevant regulator: 

• If you are dissatisfied about the BDA’s response to your fundraising complaint, you can contact the Fundraising Regulator (FR) to access their independent complaints procedure.
• If you are dissatisfied with the BDA’s complaints process, you can contact the Charity Commission, who may be able to advise further on the matter.
• You can contact the Advertising Standards Authority Make a complaint - ASA to complain about an advertising campaign you think is offensive, deceptive or inaccurate, or the number of emails or mail you receive from a charity.

Contact us

To contact the BDA Complaints Officer please email: complaints@bdadyslexia.org.uk

Or write to:

BDA Complaints Officer
British Dyslexia Association
Access Business Centre
Willoughby Road, 
Bracknell
RG12 8FB

(Approved at BDA Board Meeting on 10 February 2026)