RESOLUTION OF COMPLAINTS
Te Tamawai Trust, trading as Taku Wairua, is committed to providing a high-quality, safe, respectful and responsive service for tamariki, rangatahi, whānau, schools, partners and the wider community.
We welcome feedback, concerns and complaints. Complaints help us resolve issues early, protect the rights and wellbeing of the people we work with, and improve the way our services are delivered.
Taku Wairua will deal with complaints fairly, promptly, confidentially and without bias. We will respect the rights of all parties involved, including the right to participate in the process, the right to support or advocacy, the right to a fair and impartial investigation, and the right not to be treated adversely for making a complaint.
Where appropriate, tikanga Māori will be observed and the rights to rangatiratanga and equality for Māori under Te Tiriti o Waitangi will be respected throughout the complaints process.
This procedure applies to complaints relating to Taku Wairua service provision, including complaints about staff, kaimahi, contractors, mentors, volunteers, sponsors, associates, or the way a programme or service has been delivered.
A complaint may relate to:
The standard, type or way a service has been provided
A service not being provided, being changed, or being withdrawn
A staff member, kaimahi, contractor, mentor, volunteer, sponsor or associate
Privacy, confidentiality, communication, safety, conduct, or conflict of rights
Any other concern about the way Taku Wairua has acted or responded
Feedback may include suggestions, compliments, concerns, or informal complaints. Feedback and complaints will be recorded where appropriate and used to support service improvement.
MAKING A COMPLAINT
A complaint can be made in writing, by telephone, in person, or through another agreed method.
Complaints should be made to:
Thomas Nabbs
Director
t.nabbs@thewaterboy.co.nz
022 021 9078
If the complaint relates to Thomas Nabbs, the complaint should be made to:
Murray Wallace
Chairperson
Murray@bluewallace.co.nz
021 823 768
If a verbal complaint is made to a staff member or kaimahi, it will be recorded and forwarded to the Director, or to the Chairperson if the complaint relates to the Director.
Complainants are encouraged to provide as much detail as possible, including names of people involved, relevant dates, a timeline of events, any supporting documents, and the outcome they are seeking.
A complainant may nominate a support person or representative to assist them. Where a representative is nominated, communication may be with that representative.
COMPLAINTS PROCESS
All complaints will be recorded in a secure complaints register. The register will be held in a secure folder on Te Tamawai Trust’s Google Drive, with access limited to the Director and any authorised person required to support the complaint process.
All formal complaints, except those relating to the Director, will be reported to the Director. Complaints relating to the Director will be reported to the Chairperson and/or Trustees.
All formal complaints will be reported to the Te Tamawai Trust Board.
Taku Wairua will acknowledge receipt of a complaint in writing within five working days, unless another timeframe is required due to urgency or safety.
Urgent complaints, including complaints involving safety concerns, will be actioned as soon as possible and within 48 hours where practicable.
Taku Wairua will aim to finalise complaints within 20 working days of receipt. If more time is required, the complainant will be advised of the delay, the reason for the delay, and the expected timeframe for completion.
The Director, or Chairperson if applicable, will assess the complaint and decide the most appropriate process for responding. This may include:
Early resolution with the complainant
Gathering further information
Meeting with the complainant and/or other parties
Referring the matter to a Complaints Committee
Seeking external advice, mediation, or support where appropriate
If the complaint is about a staff member, kaimahi, sponsor, mentor, volunteer, contractor or associate, Taku Wairua may refer the matter to a Complaints Committee.
COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE
Where a Complaints Committee is required, the Committee will usually have three members. At least two members will be connected to Te Tamawai Trust. A third member may be co-opted from outside the organisation where appropriate, such as a lawyer, mediator, cultural advisor, or other suitable independent person.
The Complaints Committee may:
Investigate the complaint
Seek written information from relevant parties
Meet with the complainant and any other relevant parties
Facilitate resolution through discussion, negotiation, conciliation or mediation
Decide that no further action is required if the complaint is found to be unjustified, inconsequential, vexatious, abusive, or otherwise unreasonable
Recommend corrective action, an apology, a formal warning, training, changes to practice, or other appropriate follow-up
Where the complaint relates to employment matters, these will be dealt with separately under Te Tamawai Trust’s employment policies and processes.
INVESTIGATION AND RESOLUTION
Complaints will be investigated fairly and impartially. Any conflicts of interest will be identified and managed.
The complainant and any other relevant parties will be kept informed throughout the process. Information will be provided in a way that is understandable and appropriate to the person’s age, level of understanding, language, culture, and any disability or access needs.
All interviews, communications, findings, reasons and recommended actions will be documented.
Where a meeting is held, the complainant may bring a support person. Other parties may also bring a support person. Where appropriate, parties may provide written information before the meeting.
At the meeting, the complainant will be invited to explain the nature of the complaint, why it has been raised, the outcome they are seeking, and any other relevant matters. The person or people complained about will be given a fair opportunity to respond.
If the complaint cannot be resolved through discussion or mediation, the Director, Chairperson, or Complaints Committee will determine the outcome.
The outcome will be provided in writing. This will include the decision, reasons for the decision, and any follow-up actions.
CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY
All material relating to a complaint will be treated confidentially and shared only with those who need the information to manage, investigate, resolve, or respond to the complaint.
Personal information will only be shared where allowed by law and policy.
Complainants may request access to personal information held by Te Tamawai Trust to assist with their complaint, subject to the Privacy Act 2020 and any other relevant legal obligations.
If the complaint relates to privacy, the matter may also be managed by the organisation’s Privacy Officer or delegated privacy contact.
SAFETY, HARM AND INCIDENTS
If a complaint raises concerns about harm, child abuse, abuse of a vulnerable person, serious misconduct, or immediate safety risk, Te Tamawai Trust will take appropriate steps to safeguard the complainant and any other person who may be at risk.
Where required, relevant safeguarding, child protection, incident management, privacy, employment, or other organisational processes will also apply.
An incident report will be completed where a complaint involves, or may involve, an incident, harm, safety concern, or anticipated complaint. Incident reports will be held securely by the Director or delegated manager.
SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY
Taku Wairua will support people to make complaints in a way that is accessible and appropriate to their needs. This may include extra time, help from a trusted person, communication support, visual explanations, Easy Read information, or other reasonable support.
Complainants may also seek independent support or advocacy. This may include whānau, kaumātua, kuia, a community advocate, Community Law, VOYCE for rangatahi in care, Mana Mokopuna, the Human Rights Commission, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, the Health and Disability Commissioner where relevant, or another appropriate agency.
REVIEW
If a complainant is not satisfied with the way their complaint has been handled, they may request an internal review by someone who was not involved in the original complaint process.
A complaint may also be referred to higher management or the Te Tamawai Trust Board for reconsideration.
If the complainant remains dissatisfied, they may choose to contact an external body where relevant, such as:
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner, if the complaint relates to privacy
The Human Rights Commission, if the complaint relates to discrimination or human rights
The Health and Disability Commissioner, where relevant
A relevant professional body
A relevant funder, regulator, or accreditation body
FOLLOW-UP AND IMPROVEMENT
Taku Wairua will record and monitor feedback and complaints to identify patterns, risks, service improvements and training needs.
Where appropriate, feedback will be passed on to the people it concerns and a response will be given to the person who provided the feedback.
Te Tamawai Trust will use complaints and feedback to strengthen practice, improve safety, and support better outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi, whānau and the wider community.
Updated July 2026 by Te Tamawai Trust