Contact

Beannachar Camphill Community,
South Deeside Road,
Banchory Devenick,
Aberdeen
AB12 5YL
Scotland UK

Call us on:

01224 869250

General Enquiries:

Volunteering:

Recruitment:

Beannachar Community Telephone Numbers

Silver Birch

Anne Coyle: 01224 473849

Rose

Agnes Soo: 01224 869138

Linden

Goedele Fiedler: 01224 869645

Juniper

Elisabeth Phethean: 01224 861200

Workshops

Sebastian Mihaiescu: 01224 869250

Raising a Concern or Complaint

RAISING A CONCERN/COMPLAINT POLICY

A procedure for resolving issues of mutual concern between students (residents) or their representatives and the Beannachar Community.

A Concern/Complaint Procedure

The welfare of the students at Beannachar concerns everyone who has regular contact with them. The Beannachar Management Group members at Beannachar are aware that parents, in particular, may not wish to raise a specific concern for fear of causing bad feeling. However, the aim in resolving any concern or complaint is to improve the quality of life of the students. It is important that concerns are raised, so that they may be explored in a spirit of cooperation. Therefore, the Beannachar Management Group welcome any comments, concerns or criticisms from students, parents, relatives, social workers, befrienders, advocates, doctors or any person with a legitimate interest. Anyone who wishes to, may ask another person to help them to express their concern or complaint.

1. If you wish to express a concern, you should speak to the relevant House Co-ordinator and or Registered Manager. It is our aim, and commitment to our students and their representatives that a concern can be resolved without progressing to a compliant.

2. However, where you feel it is necessary to make a formal complaint, please do so in writing to the relevant House Co-ordinator and Registered Manager. You may, if you prefer, ask a House Co-ordinator to write your complaint down for you. You may also want to use an advocate service, the details of which are at the end of this policy.

3. Your complaint will be acknowledged in two working days. It will be fully investigated, in confidence.

4. Your complaint will be dealt with as quickly and as sympathetically as possible. Within 28 days of submitting your written complaint you can expect to receive a written reply that explains the outcome of the inquiries into your case. If the response cannot be made within that period, you will be sent a letter explaining the delay.

5. On receiving notification of the response to your complaint you may feel dissatisfied with the decision. You can, if you wish, write within 28 days and request that the decision be reviewed by the Board of Trustees of the Beannachar Community.

6. If you are not satisfied with the decision of the Board of Trustees of the Beannachar Community, you may write within 28 days and ask for their decision to be reviewed by an independent review body, which will consist of three people who are independent of any Camphill Community.


The staff at Beannachar expect that any complaint will be seen in relation to the service that Beannachar sets out to provide, as outlined in the ‘Terms and Conditions’ and ‘The Statement of Intent’. Any person should also feel able to raise issues which do not constitute a complaint, but which reflect their concern for the well-being of the students.

The staff at Beannachar undertake to reply promptly to any concern or complaint. Similarly, the staff at Beannachar wish to be notified promptly if their reply to a complaint is not thought to be satisfactory. A record will be kept by the Registered Manager at Beannachar of all concerns and complaints, and of the response made.

Beannachar Community is registered with the Care Inspectorate and the Inspection Officer visits Beannachar regularly.

This Concerns and Complaints Procedure does not affect your right to contact the Care Inspectorate, Aberdeenshire Social Work Department, your Councillor, Member of Parliament or any other relevant person.

Useful Addresses:

The Registered Manager

Beannachar Limited

South Deeside Road

Banchory-Devenick

Aberdeen

AB12 5YL

01224 869250

maria.peter@beannachar.org


Aberdeenshire Social Work Department

Viewmount

Arduthie Road

Stonehaven

AB39 2DQ

01467 538533


Chair of Trustees

Jeannie Carlson

Beannachar Limited

South Deeside Road

Banchory-Devenick

Aberdeen

AB12 5YL

01224 869250

jeannie.carlson@beannachar.org


Care Inspectorate

Compass House

11 Riverside Drive

Dundee

DD1 4NY

0345 600 9527


Where you may need help to make a complaint, an independent advocacy service may be able to help. More information about these services can be found at: Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance, 18 York Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3EP. Website: www.siaa.org.uk Tel: 0131 510 9410 Email: enquiry@siaa.org.uk

Duty of Candour

Duty of Candour Report 2022

This report covers the period January 1st, 2022 – 31st December 2022 and is intended to satisfy the requirement that we produce and publish an annual report.

During this period there were no instances that met the Duty of Candour threshold.

An Open and Transparent Culture

Beannachar Camphill Community is committed to enabling a culture that supports a safe environment of continuous learning and reflective practice. A culture which supports and encourages workers to report concerns at the earliest opportunity.

We believe that an atmosphere of openness, honesty and transparency will enable everyone, including those carrying responsibility, to accept support rather than blame, and we will help to develop trusting relationships between all who live and work in the community.

In the event of an incident that results in harm or death (see Appendix A), we believe that how we respond to such an incident will make a real difference to people’s experiences.

We will communicate honestly, timeously and with dignity and respect for those involved. We will use clear language, and we will confirm what learning and what actions will be taken to prevent the same thing happening again in the future.

Staff Training

We are committed to enabling and training staff to understand their Duty of Care, to uphold their responsibility and accountability as directed by the SSSC Codes of Conduct, Adult Support and Protection, Health and Safety and Recording and Reporting incidents.

We have an Induction and Training Programme to support staff to understand and comply with the Beannachar policies and procedures which include the regulatory and statutory context.

All Senior Staff complete the E-Learning Training Course and understanding, and practice is checked through supervision and team meetings.

Duty of Candour Procedure

  • Beannachar Camphill Community will identify a lead person for communicating with the person affected and/or their family, for communication within Beannachar and for external communication with appropriate parties e.g., Social Worker, Care Inspectorate and Contracting Council.
  • The lead person will notify the person affected and or their family that an incident has occurred that has resulted in harm.
  • They will apologise to the person and/or their family and express the Community’s sincere regret that this incident has happened.
  • They will tell them that we will investigate the details of what happened and how and why it happened and will inform them of this as soon as we can.Also, that we will tell them what we will do in response, and what actions will be taken to reduce the risk of the same thing happening to someone else in the future.
  • Beannachar Camphill Community will provide support to each person involved, both the person affected, and their family and the workers involved in the incident.
  • Beannachar Camphill Community will report the incident through local systems, which will involve carrying out a review of the incident and ensuring that, as far as possible, the person and/or their family are included in a way that meets their needs (the review should be undertaken by a person not involved in the incident).
  • The lead person will arrange the next meeting with the person and/or their family to explain what went wrong and the actions that will be taken.
  • They will provide a written account to the person and/or their family should they wish for this.
  • The lead person will ask how the person and/or their family want information to be provided to them and tell them how we will store their information.
  • Beannachar Camphill Community will record each action or meeting and all associated correspondence, whilst continuing to monitor and report on developments as appropriate and ensuring that lessons are learned and shared.

Appendix A

Events that would trigger the Duty of Candour Procedure

An unintended or unexpected event that has resulted in one of the following:

  • The death of the person
  • A permanent lessening of bodily, sensory, motor, physiological or intellectual functions.
  • Harm which is not severe but results in:
    • an increase in the person’s treatment.
    • changes in the structure of the person’s body.
    • the shortening of life expectancy of the person.
    • an impairment of the sensory, motor, or intellectual functions of the person which has lasted or is likely to last for a continuous period of at least 28 days.
    • the person experiencing pain or psychological harm which has been or is likely to be experienced by the person for a period of at least 28 days.
  • The person requiring treatment by a registered health professional to prevent:
    • the death of the person or
    • any injury to the person, which is left untreated, would lead to one or more of the outcomes mentioned in b) and c).

Appendix B

Ways that the Duty of Candour Procedure can be triggered.

A regulated health professional, not involved in the incident, confirms that an unintended or unexpected incident has occurred and has resulted in harm or death.

or

A complaint, feedback received or a significant event which may lead to a review.

or

A disclosure under the Whistleblowing Policy or our policy about raising concerns.

Appendix C

The Annual Report should include the following:

  • The number and nature of incidents to which the Duty of Candour has applied (without names of those involved).
  • How the duty was carried out.
  • Information about our policies and procedures in relation to the Duty of Candour, including information about procedures for identifying and reporting incidents and support available to all persons involved or affected by incidents.
  • Information about any changes made to policies, procedures, or practice because of the incident, i.e., learning identified and shared, and improvements made.
  • Support that was made available to the person affected by the incident and to the worker involved.

Ethos, Values and Context

Our Ethos

  • A place to live: safe, nourishing, stimulating
  • A place to learn and grow: in an inclusive, life-sharing environment
  • A place to work: sustainable; in harmony with nature and the land
  • A place for changing lives: through a focus on community-based activities

Our Values

  • Developing healthy social relationships based on mutual learning, care and respect, while celebrating the uniqueness and authenticity of each human being.
  • Integrating care, work, craft, land and the environment, supporting everyone to meet their full potential, their goals and aspirations through life, learning and meaningful work.
  • Enabling increased independence, transition to adulthood, work experience, social and self-development, inspired by striving to understand each human being’s needs.
  • Ensuring a person-centred approach, keeping students at the centre of everything that we do, to ensure improved outcomes for each and everyone.
  • Promoting mutual ownership through our identity as a community; creating wholeness, by sharing life and meaningful work experiences together, along with the celebration of seasonal activities and cultural festivals.
  • Practising a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, based on our commitment to the land and organic produce.
  • Restoring vulnerable and disadvantaged people to their rightful place in society, by upholding their dignity and self-worth.
  • Creating a distinctive home-like, extended family-type experience, which provides unqualified acceptance and a sense of belonging for staff, volunteers and students.
  • Commitment to minimal use of restraint through working proactively to support our young adults in a way that recognises the primary function of any behaviour as communicating a valid need.

Our Context

  • Beannachar Camphill Community is a part of the international Camphill Movement, which aims to create community in which children and adults, many with additional support needs, can live, learn and work within healthy social relationships, based on mutual care and respect.
  • We work to the ideals of the Camphill movement with its underlying philosophy of Anthroposophy, a holistic world view which attributes equal importance to the physical as well as to the spiritual nature of human beings and the world.
  • We give opportunities for volunteers from around the world by providing internally accredited learning and training in order that they can offer peer support to our students.
  • We work with a sense of stewardship, to celebrate the history and traditions of Camphill but yet creating a sustainable future in which we can continue to serve others in need; bringing light into darkness
  • We work with the commissioners who purchase our services, professional in our intent and serious about our ability to promote exemplars of good social care practice.