Complaints, appeals and grievances

How to raise a concern about our work, and what happens at each stage. Last updated 20 August 2026.

Before you start

Wherever possible, raise your concern directly with the practitioner involved — the mediator, facilitator, trainer or coach. Most things are resolved at that point.

If that does not produce a satisfactory result, the four stages below apply. At every stage you may be accompanied by an independent support person, and we keep a written record of each meeting and its outcome.

Stage 1 — Raise it with the Operations Director

Where a matter is not resolved with the practitioner, raise it with our Operations Director. You will receive a reply within 7 days, and the Operations Director will meet you within 7 working days of that reply. A written response follows within a further 7 working days.

Stage 2 — A formal hearing

If you or the practitioner are dissatisfied with the outcome of Stage 1, the Operations Director will arrange to hear the complaint formally, with both you and the practitioner present, within 5 working days.

Stage 3 — Referral to the Mediation and Development Director

If you or the practitioner are dissatisfied with the outcome of Stage 2, you may ask that the matter be referred to our Mediation and Development Director, who will arrange to hear the complaint.

They will seek an outcome satisfactory to both sides, through a mediation process where that is appropriate. Where that is not successful, Stage 4 is the final stage.

Stage 4 — Panel

Either you or the practitioner may ask for the matter to be put to a Panel, made up of two members of our Executive Board and one independent member from outside the organisation.

The Panel will hear the complaint, and you may be accompanied as at the earlier stages. The Panel’s decision is final.

Accredited courses

Where your complaint concerns assessment on an OCN Northern Ireland accredited course, the awarding body operates its own appeals process, which sits alongside this one. We will tell you how to use it.

Raise a concern