> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cleverschool.systems/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Complaints Management

> Overview

> [card] [Introduction](https://docs.cleverschool.systems/complaints/introduction.md)

> [card] [Getting Started](./getting-started)

> [card] [Tutorials](./tutorials)

> [card] [Workflows](./workflows)

## Overview

*Managing school complaints effectively requires transparency, strict procedural compliance, and timely communication. The Complaints Management module provides schools and academy trusts with an auditable, multi-stage platform to record, triage, investigate, and resolve complaints in full alignment with Department for Education (DfE) guidance and school policies.*

Schools handle a variety of concerns from parents, carers, and members of the public. Resolving these complaints fairly while balancing staff workload and maintaining meticulous statutory audit trails is a major operational challenge.

The Complaints module streamlines this entire lifecycle. From initial logging and secure complainant self-service submission to AI-powered policy triage, investigating officer briefings, and review panels, every step is coordinated within a secure, permission-controlled workflow.

### Features

* **Multi-Stage Lifecycle Management**: Seamlessly manage complaints across Stage 1 (informal logging), Stage 2 (formal investigation), and Stage 3 (appeal panel) with automated status tracking.
* **Complainant Self-Service Portal**: Provide parents and complainants with a secure, passwordless magic-link and OTP-verified portal to submit formal statements, requested remedies, and appeal grounds.
* **AI-Assisted Policy Triage**: Automatically analyse incoming submissions against your school's published complaints procedure URL to evaluate procedural scope, reasonableness, and opportunities for informal resolution.
* **Automated Investigation Briefings & Draft Responses**: Generate tailored investigation briefings for designated case owners, or create editable formal response letters when complaints are resolved informally, determined out of scope, or deemed unreasonable.
* **Delegated Roles & Case Ownership**: Assign specific complaints to investigating officers (`Complaints Owner`) while senior leaders (`Complaints Manager`) retain central oversight and decision-making authority.
* **Formal Outcomes & Reason Recording**: Record substantive outcomes (*Upheld*, *Partially Upheld*, *Not Upheld*) accompanied by structured justifications and automated notifications.
* **PDF Dossier Generation**: Instantly generate clean, chronologically organised PDF dossiers complete with complainant statements, internal school notes, AI evaluations, and outcome decisions for panel hearings and governor scrutiny.
* **Automated Reminders & Deadline Tracking**: Keep investigations on schedule with automated email alerts and weekly digest reminders for pending actions.

> [!NOTE]
>
> The module is designed in accordance with standard DfE model complaints procedures for maintained schools, academies, and multi-academy trusts (MATs).

## Next steps

###  [Introduction](https://docs.cleverschool.systems/complaints/introduction.md)

###  [Getting Started](getting-started)

###  [Tutorials](tutorials)

###  [Workflows](workflows)


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