Mi Complaint Notification Form
Please download and complete this form to initiate your complaint. Alternatively you can call Mediation Institute on 1300 781 533
Mediation Institute Independent Complaint Handling Service
Mediation Institute provides independent complaint handling for dispute resolution professionals.
Our complaint handling service is membership based for Practitioner and AMDRAS Accredited Mediator members.
Complaint-handling service members include:
- AMDRAS Mediators,
- Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners,
- Family Group Conference Facilitators
We also have a service for Registered Training Organisations (RTO’s) and other training providers who want an independent complaint handling service. Find out more.
Principles we apply
Our approach is to ensure that complaint handling is efficient, effective, fair and proportionate to the issues concerned. Ensuring that privacy and confidentiality considerations are discussed is essential to appropriate complaint handling.
Efficient and Effective
Fair and Proportionate
Privacy and Confidentiality
Efficient and Effective
Mediation Institute provides a cost effective and targeted approach to resolving complaints and conflict that need to be escalated to an independent service.
We offer an efficient and effective service to ensure that complaints are managed with the goal of resolving them as soon as possible in the least expensive way depending on the specifics of the issues concerned. This is to minimise the risk of harm to all.
Fair and Proportionate
It is critical that complainants are treated fairly and without favouritism. All complaints are considered without pre-judging the outcome.
The cost of complaint handling process is in proportion to the seriousness of the issue, the level of intervention required and the potential of harm to people and businesses.
- The first response is to seek information from the complainant to specify the issues they want to raise.
- We then review the issues against the obligation may have not been met.
- If we feel that there is a case to answer we then discuss the issues with the member.
This ensures that the response is timely, fair and proportionate.
If a deeper investigation with formal interviews is required a fee may be payable by the member. There is no fee to the complainant to lodge a complaint.
Privacy and Confidentiality
Complaints are treated differently to other business information.
All members and claimants are encouraged to respect the privacy and confidentiality of the complaint processes.
Information to do with complaints doesn’t belong in general files. It is kept in a location only accessible to authorised people within our team.
Complainants are not discussed in a way that identifies them in general conversation.
- Anonymous complaints are generally not able to be actioned but may be kept on record
- Complainants are advised that information they provide will be shared with members
- Members are advised that information they share in their defence of their actions may be provided to the complainant.
What information is provided is subject to the judgement of the person investigating the complaint.
Making a Complaint about a dispute resolution professional
Complaint Process
- If it is safe to do so speak with your mediator to inform them of your issues
- If they do not resolve your concerns or you do not feel able to speak with them directly get in contact with Mediation Institute on 1300 781 533.
- We can accept anonymous enquiries, but you must provide your name and contact details for your complaint to progress. Enquiries can not proceed to a complaint without this information.
Information you supply to initiate a complaint may be required to be provided to the individual or organisation about which the complaint is being made.
The way that information will be use will be discussed with complainants at each step in the complaint escalation process.
Forms and Information
These forms are current however they are under review due to changes to the national accreditation standards for mediators and proposed changes to the Regulations for Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners.
Mi Complaint Management Service Guide
This 19 page document contains information about Mediation Institute’s Complaint Management System.
Mediation Institute Ethical Standards for Dispute Resolution Practitioner Members
This document contains information about the Mediation Institute Code of Ethics and Conduct for Dispute Resolution Practitioner Members.
Mediation Institute complaint handling service deals with any complaints, appeals or grievances related to a member of our independent complaint handling services.
This includes dispute resolution professionals such as NMAS / AMDRAS Accredited Mediators, Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners, Family Group Conference Facilitators and others.
We can also provide one off mediation services for organisations and will accept complaints about accredited and non-accredited dispute resolution practitioners or training organisations who you are unable to find a complaint handling service for.
No. Mediation Institute is not a Government Funded Service.
Our Complaint Handling Service is designed to prevent issues from escalating inappropriately to government tribunals. This allows them to be resolved quicker, more collaboratively and without the cost and sleepless nights that come with formal court or tribunal processes.
Dispute Resolution Professionals
Our Independent Complaint Handling Service is offered as a part of our dispute resolution practitioner members accreditation and provides independent dispute resolution professionals with an independent third party organisation to work with them and with complainants in an effort to resolve conflicts over services or any other aspect of their mediation practice.
If a complaint about a Mediator or Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner is substantiated and the practitioner has behaved in a way that is illegal or unethical there may be further consequences such as NMAS de-accreditation, a report to the Australian Attorney Generals Department and a report to the appropriate authorities.
Training Providers
Our Independent Complaint Handling Service is offered to Registered Training Providers (RTO’s) as part of the standards for RTO’s and provides independent dispute resolution services for complaints within their organisations from students, staff, contractors and other situations where internal processes have not been able to resolve the issue.
If a complaint about a Training Provider is substantiated and the provider has behaved in an illegal or unethical way there may be further consequences such as de-registration or a report to the appropriate authorities.
No. Mediation Institute is a Recognised Accreditation Provider and our obligation is to uphold the standards for Members.
We are also approved for complaint handling by the Australian Attorney Generals Department.
Our mission is to train, educate and support dispute resolution practitioners to provide quality, ethical services. If a complaint identifies that a member has acted inappropriately we can, will and have taken action.
Acceptance and preliminary review of complaints is free for members and complainants. Find out more about joining Mediation Institute.
Should additional services be required to resolve the dispute a Complaint Manager will be allocated, and their fees are due and payable.
Unless specified at the time of engagement of your professional services or training product fees for external dispute resolution services are payable by the Mediator or Training Provider in order to prevent any perception that cost is being used as a barrier to prevent complaints about your services.
The cost will depend on the services provided.
There is no cost to lodge a complaint about a Mediation Institute Member.
If you have a concern about a dispute resolution practitioner or registered training provider that you believe may be a member contact us to discuss your concerns.
You can call Mediation Institute on 1300 781 533 if you would like to speak with someone prior to lodging a complaint.
Formal complaints under this service can not be lodged anonymously. If you are unwilling to provide your name and contact details the complaint will not be able to proceed. If you do want to proceed with the complaint we will treat your information confidentially and will confirm with you prior to making contact with the person or organisation you are seeking to make a complaint about.
