Complaints And Grievance Procedure

Australia Resource Therapy Institute

Version: 1

Website: resourcetherapy.com.au

Contact: philipa@resourcetherapy.com.au

© Philipa Thornton

1. Purpose

Australia Resource Therapy Institute is committed to safe, ethical, respectful, and professionally responsible Resource Therapy training, supervision, consultation, and public education.

This Complaints And Grievance Procedure explains how concerns may be raised about matters connected with ARTI training, supervision, authorised representation, use of ARTI materials, or professional conduct connected to ARTI activities.

The purpose of this procedure is to:

• provide a clear and respectful pathway for concerns to be raised
• support early resolution where appropriate
• protect students, clients, practitioners, trainers, supervisors, and the public
• uphold the ARTI Code of Conduct and ARTI Code of Ethics
• protect the integrity and professional standing of Resource Therapy
• clarify when a matter should be referred to an external regulator, complaints body, employer, law enforcement agency, or emergency service

2. Scope

This procedure applies to complaints or concerns connected with:

• ARTI training programs
• ARTI supervision or consultation activities
• ARTI workshops, masterclasses, retreats, webinars, and events
• conduct of ARTI trainers, supervisors, assistants, students, graduates, or authorised representatives in ARTI-related settings
• misuse of ARTI materials, logos, branding, certificates, titles, or intellectual property
• inaccurate public representation of ARTI training, certification, trainer status, supervisor status, or endorsement
• behaviour that may breach the ARTI Code of Conduct, ARTI Code of Ethics, or published ARTI professional standards

This procedure does not replace any legal, regulatory, employment, professional, mandatory reporting, child protection, health complaints, AHPRA, National Board, or emergency process.

3. Matters That Should Be Referred Externally

Some concerns are not appropriate for ARTI to manage internally as the primary pathway.

A concern should be referred to the relevant external body where it involves:

• immediate risk of harm
• suicide or self-harm risk
• child protection concerns
• family violence or coercive control
• sexual misconduct
• criminal conduct
• serious professional misconduct
• unsafe clinical practice
• unlawful conduct
• AHPRA-regulated practitioners
• health complaints about clinical services
• mandatory reporting obligations
• workplace misconduct
• discrimination or harassment requiring formal external investigation
• medical, psychiatric, psychological, or allied health care concerns beyond ARTI’s role

In urgent situations, contact emergency services.

In Australia, concerns about registered health practitioners may need to be directed to AHPRA, the relevant National Board, or the appropriate state or territory health complaints body.

Concerns about non-registered health practitioners may need to be directed to the relevant state or territory health complaints body.

ARTI may still take internal action where a matter also affects ARTI training, representation, use of ARTI materials, student safety, or the professional standing of Resource Therapy. However, ARTI will not override or replace external reporting pathways.

4. Guiding Principles

ARTI aims to manage complaints and grievances according to the following principles.

Fairness

Concerns will be considered fairly, respectfully, and without unnecessary delay.

Where appropriate, the person who is the subject of a complaint will be given an opportunity to respond.

Safety

Client, student, supervisee, practitioner, trainer, and public safety will be prioritised.

Where risk is identified, ARTI may take interim action while a concern is being reviewed.

Confidentiality

Information will be handled sensitively and shared only with those who need to know for the purpose of managing the concern, seeking advice, meeting legal obligations, or protecting safety.

Natural Justice

Where possible and appropriate, ARTI will seek to understand the concern, gather relevant information, and allow affected parties to be heard before a final decision is made.

No Retaliation

ARTI does not support retaliation, intimidation, victimisation, or adverse treatment of a person who raises a concern in good faith.

Proportionality

ARTI will aim to respond in a way that is proportionate to the seriousness, risk, evidence, impact, and context of the concern.

5. Informal Resolution

Where a concern is minor, low-risk, and safe to raise directly, the person with the concern may choose to first speak with the relevant person, trainer, supervisor, or ARTI representative.

Informal resolution may be appropriate where the concern involves:

• misunderstanding
• communication difficulties
• minor administrative issues
• scheduling or access concerns
• clarification about training expectations
• low-level interpersonal tension
• requests for explanation or correction

Informal resolution is not required where the concern involves risk, misconduct, boundary violations, unsafe practice, discrimination, harassment, intimidation, exploitation, child protection, family violence, sexual misconduct, mandatory reporting, or fear of retaliation.

6. Making A Formal Complaint To ARTI

A formal complaint should be submitted in writing to:

philipa@resourcetherapy.com.au

The complaint should include, where possible:

• the name and contact details of the person making the complaint
• the name of the person or activity the complaint relates to
• the relevant training, event, supervision, consultation, or ARTI activity
• the date or approximate date of the concern
• a clear description of what happened
• any relevant documents, emails, messages, images, or supporting information
• any steps already taken to resolve the concern
• the outcome being requested, if known
• whether there are any immediate safety concerns
• whether the matter has also been reported to AHPRA, a health complaints body, employer, police, insurer, or another authority

Anonymous complaints may be considered, but ARTI’s ability to assess or respond may be limited where identifying information or supporting details are not provided.

7. Initial Review

After receiving a written complaint, ARTI will undertake an initial review to consider:

• whether the matter falls within ARTI’s role
• whether there are immediate safety concerns
• whether external referral or mandatory reporting may be required
• whether interim action is needed
• what further information may be required
• whether informal, facilitated, or formal resolution is appropriate

ARTI may contact the person making the complaint to clarify details or request further information.

If the matter is outside ARTI’s role, ARTI may direct the person to a more appropriate pathway, such as AHPRA, a health complaints body, an employer, a professional association, law enforcement, legal advice, or emergency services.

8. Possible Interim Action

Where a concern raises safety, ethical, reputational, or professional risk, ARTI may take interim action while the matter is being reviewed.

Interim action may include:

• pausing a person’s involvement in training
• restricting access to ARTI events, groups, or online spaces
• requesting that ARTI branding, titles, or claims be temporarily removed
• pausing trainer, supervisor, assistant, or representative activity
• recommending supervision, consultation, or professional advice
• referring the matter externally where appropriate
• taking steps to protect students, clients, staff, trainers, or the public

Interim action is not a final finding. It is a risk-management step.

9. Review Process

Depending on the nature of the concern, ARTI may:

• review written information
• speak with the person making the complaint
• speak with the person who is the subject of the complaint
• seek relevant documents or records
• consult with an appropriate senior trainer, supervisor, legal adviser, insurer, or external professional adviser
• consider relevant ARTI policies, Codes, training standards, and published representations
• consider whether external referral is required

ARTI will aim to manage complaints respectfully and efficiently, while recognising that some matters require time, care, advice, and procedural fairness.

10. Possible Outcomes

Depending on the concern, ARTI may respond by:

• providing clarification or explanation
• acknowledging and correcting an error
• requesting an apology or repair process
• offering informal or facilitated resolution
• recommending supervision, consultation, or further education
• requiring correction of misleading public claims
• requiring removal or correction of ARTI branding, logos, titles, certificates, or public representations
• issuing a written warning
• placing conditions on participation in ARTI training or activities
• suspending or removing access to ARTI training, events, groups, or online spaces
• withdrawing permission to use ARTI materials or branding
• declining future enrolment or involvement
• pausing or withdrawing authorised trainer, supervisor, assistant, or representative status
• referring the matter to an external regulator, complaints body, employer, insurer, law enforcement agency, or professional body
• taking no further action where the concern is not substantiated, is outside ARTI’s role, or cannot reasonably be progressed

11. Communication Of Outcome

Where appropriate, ARTI will communicate the outcome of the review to the person who raised the concern.

The amount of information provided may be limited by privacy, confidentiality, legal advice, procedural fairness, employment obligations, professional obligations, or safety considerations.

Where the complaint concerns another person, ARTI may not be able to disclose all details of any action taken.

12. Review Of Outcome

If the person making the complaint believes that the complaint process was not followed fairly, they may request a review in writing.

A review request should explain:

• why the person believes the process was unfair or incomplete
• what relevant information may not have been considered
• what outcome is being requested

A review is not an opportunity to repeatedly re-argue the same concern without new information or a procedural issue.

ARTI may decline further review where the matter has been reasonably considered, is outside ARTI’s role, has been referred externally, or would be better addressed by a regulator, complaints body, employer, legal process, or professional association.

13. Vexatious, Abusive, Or Bad-Faith Complaints

ARTI may limit or decline to progress complaints that are abusive, threatening, discriminatory, knowingly false, malicious, repetitive, vexatious, or made for an improper purpose.

This does not prevent ARTI from considering genuine safety, ethical, or professional concerns, even where communication has been difficult or emotionally charged.

14. Record Keeping

ARTI may keep records of complaints, correspondence, decisions, actions taken, and relevant supporting material.

Complaint records will be handled confidentially and stored securely.

Records may be used to:

• respond to the concern
• support procedural fairness
• improve training and governance
• meet legal, insurance, professional, or risk-management obligations
• identify repeated patterns or systemic issues

15. Training And Continuous Improvement

ARTI may use de-identified themes from complaints, concerns, feedback, or grievances to improve:

• training quality
• student safety
• trainer guidance
• supervision standards
• website clarity
• advertising and representation standards
• policy development
• ethical practice education

ARTI is committed to learning from concerns raised in good faith.

16. Relationship With Other ARTI Policies

This procedure should be read alongside:

• ARTI Code of Conduct
• ARTI Code of Ethics
• Governance
• Student And Graduate Representation Guidelines
• Trainer And Supervisor Standards
• Use of ARTI Materials and Branding guidelines
• any relevant enrolment, refund, privacy, or training policies

Where another ARTI policy provides a more specific process, that process may apply.

17. Contact

Complaints or concerns connected with ARTI training, supervision, authorised representation, use of ARTI materials, or ARTI-related professional conduct may be submitted in writing to:

Australia Resource Therapy Institute

Email: philipa@resourcetherapy.com.au

Website: resourcetherapy.com.au

For urgent safety concerns, contact emergency services.

For concerns about registered health practitioners, contact AHPRA or the relevant National Board.

For concerns about health services or non-registered health practitioners, contact the relevant state or territory health complaints body.

18. Statement Of Commitment

Australia Resource Therapy Institute is committed to handling complaints and grievances with care, fairness, professionalism, and respect.

We aim to protect clients, students, practitioners, trainers, supervisors, the public, and the professional standing of Resource Therapy.

We believe that ethical practice includes accountability, reflection, repair where appropriate, and a willingness to improve.