Complaints Procedure
As a Christian organisation, we consider this to be a highly important procedure. However, we also hope it will seldom be required. Before raising a formal concern through this procedure, we would expect and encourage you to seek resolution informally. Therefore, in the first instance, please contact the member of Irish Church Missions staff involved and provide them with the opportunity to resolve your concerns. You may also wish to contact either chairman or director of Irish Church Missions at dublin@irishchurchmissions.ie (specifying the recipient of your email in the subject header) to explain your concerns before making a formal complaint.
1. COMPLAINTS AGAINST IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS PASTORS AND CHURCH STAFF
1.1 The churches in the network are often referred to as “the churches of ICM”, because they have been planted with support from ICM. However they exist on a continuum of dependency. This is due to the capacity of individual churches to undertake all that is required by them, for example in, charity law, safeguarding provision and financial obligations. ICM exists to strengthen these individual churches with the support they require in their present need. It rejoices in the growing capacity of individual churches to oversee all aspects of their governance, and at the same time is a willing support for churches that require assistance.
1.2 As part of this support we aim to set and maintain the highest levels of protection for all under our care. Our trustees, and the office bearers of any church we are associated with are therefore committed to promoting and facilitating best governance and pastoral practices within our churches.
Therefore, in the first instance, if you have any concerns or complaints relating to the staff or ministries of any of the churches related to ICM, you should not follow this Complaints procedure. Rather, you should follow the steps set out in the separate complaints policy (or, where appropriate, safeguarding policy) relating to the particular church involved. Generally, you will find each church’s complaints policy and safeguarding policy on their website, but if you cannot locate them, you should request a copy from the church’s administrator or senior pastor.
1.3 All complaints are taken seriously. These include repeated instances when you feel physically unsafe or are concerned for the safety of others; have continually been made to feel vulnerable or isolated or have seen others mistreated in such a way; have substantial evidence of spiritual coercion and unwarranted pastoral pressure to conform to any belief or practice against your will. You should not make a formal complaint because you have a clash of personality with those in leadership or have been upset by something preached or do not like the direction/tone/feel of any said church.
1.4 If you have made a complaint against any ICM church in accordance with that church’s own complaints policy, then ICM will generally have no involvement in that complaint and the complaint will be dealt with by the church’s leadership team in accordance with their complaints policy.
1.5 If you are unhappy with the way your complaint has been handled by the church involved, then you should address your concerns with the person responsible for the church’s complaints process. If having done so, you feel that your concerns have still not been addressed, then you may contact the Chairman of ICM, at dublin@irishchurchmissions.ie and provide details of your ongoing concerns.
On behalf of ICM, the Chairman will then contact the church involved and ask them to confirm that the complaint has been properly handled by the church in accordance with its complaints policy. If the church cannot provide such confirmation, then the Chairman will encourage the church to make further contact with you and to make further efforts to resolve your complaint in accordance with its complaints policy and ICM’s involvement will be terminated. However, if the church confirms that it has properly handled your complaint, then the Chairman will report back to you and inform you that no further action can be taken by ICM.
2. COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE IRISH CHURCH MISSIONS LEADERSHIP AND STAFF
2.1 ICM employs a number of staff through its charity, and also relies upon the work (paid or unpaid) of a number of others who serve in different capacities, (all of whom, together, are referred to in this policy as “ICM staff”). ICM is committed to conducting Christian ministry with honesty and integrity. We are therefore careful in our recruitment and training and expect all ICM staff to maintain high standards. On very rare occasions, the conduct of ICM staff may fall short of this expectation.
(a) In the first instance, and for less serious matters of misconduct, we would expect and encourage those adversely affected, to speak directly with the member of ICM staff involved and they should be provided with the opportunity to resolve any concerns on an informal basis. Unresolved concerns may then be taken to the Chairman (dublin@irishchurchmissions.ie) or to the Director of ICM (dublin@irishchurchmissions.ie) as preferred. In the vast majority of situations, we hope concerns will be fully resolved at this stage, perhaps by staff providing further clarification or explanation, or by apologising and making amends. Where concerns are satisfactorily dealt with by the ICM staff involved, the following procedure will not usually be required. (See Matthew 18:15-17)
(b) Where concerns are not dealt with satisfactorily by the ICM staff involved, or are of such a serious nature that further contact with those staff would be inappropriate or potentially harmful, the following procedure should be followed.
2.2 This procedure may be used by anyone who wishes to complain about the conduct of any of the ICM staff (as defined in section 1.3 above).
2.3 This procedure should be used by ICM employees as well. If any ICM employee wishes to complain about the conduct of another employee, they should seek an informal resolution in the first instance, as explained in 2.1 (a). Failing this the following procedure should be implemented.
2.4 This procedure should not be used where there is a safeguarding concern involving the ICM staff. In such instances, the concerns should be reported in accordance with the ICM Safeguarding Policy. If there is uncertainty as to whether something constitutes a safeguarding concern, Dorothy Jones should be contacted in the first instance: dorothyjones2011@gmail.com.
2.5 Concerns should be reported as soon as possible so that they can be investigated promptly. We will always investigate such reports.
2.6 If you have any questions about this process please contact the Chairman at dublin@irishchurchmissions.ie
3. HOW TO RAISE A CONCERN
3.1 This procedure should be used to report complaints about any of the ICM staff. We take all complaints extremely seriously. Examples (not exhaustive) of where it would be appropriate to use this procedure are: bullying behaviour, coercion, manipulation, dishonesty, inappropriate sexual behaviour, criminal activity, and bribery.
3.2 Complaints should be submitted in writing (by post or email) to The Chairman of ICM, ICM, 28 Bachelors Walk, Dublin, D01 P4V6 or dublin@irishchurchmissions.ie and you should clearly state that you want your complaint handled under the Complaints Procedure.
3.3 The complaint should set out:
(a) Your contact details
(b) Details of your involvement with ICM and its ministries and/or events;
(c) A brief description of the nature of your complaint, including any relevant facts, dates, and names of individuals involved. In some situations, you may be asked to provide further information
3.4 We will aim to acknowledge receipt of your written complaint within 14 days of receipt.
3.5 All reports will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
4. CONFIDENTIALITY
4.1 All complaints submitted under this procedure will be handled sensitively. We hope that you will feel able to voice concerns openly under this policy. Completely anonymous disclosures are difficult to investigate. If you want to raise your concern confidentially, we will make every effort to keep your identity secret and only reveal it where necessary to those involved in investigating your concern. Please notify us if you wish your concerns to be investigated confidentially in this way.
5. INVESTIGATIONS
5.1 All complaints and concerns raised under this procedure will be taken seriously and they will all be investigated, as long as you provide us with your contact details so that we can request further information from you (where necessary) and so that we can send you the outcome of the investigation. The amount of time any investigation requires will depend on the nature of the allegations and will vary from case to case. You will usually be invited to a meeting to discuss the nature of your complaint and the person being complained against will be excluded from that meeting unless all parties consent to their attendance.
5.2 You will be expected to co-operate fully and promptly in any investigation. This may include informing us of the names of any relevant witnesses, disclosing any relevant documents to us and attending interviews, as part of our investigation.
5.3 Following an assessment of the facts, a decision will be taken as to whether the matter can be dealt with internally or whether it is necessary to refer the matter to a third party for investigation, such as to an independent Christian organisation, a local authority or the police.
6. THE OUTCOME
6.1 We will endeavour to resolve your complaint as promptly as we can, but if it gives rise to serious issues we may need to take time in order to conduct a thorough investigation.
6.2 You will be notified in writing of the outcome of the investigation as soon as possible.
7. REVIEW
7.1 If the complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction you may request a review of the decision.
7.2 Requests for a review should be submitted in writing to the Chairman of ICM (dublin@irishchurchmissions.ie) within 14 days of the date on which the outcome of the investigation was sent or given to you.
7.3 The review will be dealt with impartially by a member of ICM staff (usually a senior employee or trustee) not involved in the previous investigation where possible (although they may ask anyone previously involved to contribute to their review of the previous decision).
7.4 At this stage, should it be deemed necessary by the trustees, an independent practitioner, who has the required experience and expertise will be appointed to conduct this process.
7.5 We will confirm our final decision in writing, usually within four weeks of your submission of your request for a review. This is the end of the procedure and there is no further right of review.
This complaints procedure was adopted by the trustees of Irish Church Missions 3rd March 2022 and will be subject to annual review.