Continuous improvement
Standard 7: Complaints and disputes
How Standard 7 applies to all service types
Each service recipient is encouraged to raise and have resolved, without fear of retribution, any complaints or disputes they may have regarding the service provider or the service.
Standard 7 context
Policy and program context for Australian Disability Enterprises
It is essential to ensure there is an accessible and effective complaint process available for people with disabilities using Australian Disability Enterprises. An important consideration in complaint/feedback processes is that workers with disability may be less empowered to make a complaint.
Australian Disability Enterprises should have an internal complaint mechanism that provides:
- Commitment at all levels of the organisation. This can be demonstrated through effective dissemination of policies and procedures that recognise the positive and important role of complaints to increase the level of supported employee satisfaction, enhance the supported employee provider relationship and provide insights to continuously improve the service;
- Fairness to all concerned, including the complainant, the organisation and the person complained about. This would include availability of advocacy services or other means to ensure that the complainant can make the complaint effectively and does not suffer retribution or intimidation as a result;
- Accessibility. The information about the process should be readily accessible in a variety of appropriate formats (including plain English and other languages where appropriate) and be promoted both internally and externally. There should be flexible methods of making complaints with assistance available to complainants as necessary. This element is particularly important for a system dealing with people who may not be empowered to make a complaint;
- Responsiveness. The process should provide full, impartial and timely investigation of all aspects of the complaint and provide fair and reasonable remedies where warranted; and
- Effectiveness. The mechanism must be able to address individual complaints and use the information collected to improve overall service delivery and to address systemic and recurring problems.
Return to top
Policy and program context for Disability Employment Services providers
It is essential to ensure there is an accessible and effective complaint process available for people with disability using Disability Employment Services providers. An important consideration in complaint/feedback processes is that participants with disability may feel less empowered to make a complaint.
Services should have an internal complaint/feedback mechanism that provides:
- Commitment at all levels of the organisation. This can be demonstrated through effective dissemination of policies and procedures that recognise the positive and important role of complaints to increase the level of participants’ satisfaction, enhance participants relationship with their provider and provide insights to continuously improve the service;
- Fairness to all concerned, including the complainant, the organisation and the person complained about. This would include availability of advocacy services or other means to ensure that the complainant can make the complaint effectively and does not suffer retribution or intimidation as a result;
- Accessibility. The information about the process should be readily accessible in a variety of appropriate formats (including plain English and other languages where appropriate) and be promoted both internally and externally. There should be flexible methods of making complaints with assistance available to complainants as necessary. This element is particularly important for a system, which is dealing with people who may not be empowered to make a complaint;
- Responsiveness. The process should provide full, impartial and timely investigation of all aspects of the complaint and provide fair and reasonable remedies where warranted;
- Effectiveness. The mechanism must be able to address individual complaints and use the information collected to improve overall service delivery and to address systemic and recurring problems.
It should be reviewed regularly to ensure that it is meeting participants’ needs. The system should also demonstrate:
- Openness and accountability - so participants can judge for themselves whether the system is working effectively;
- Privacy, dignity and confidentiality. Complaint handling must maintain the values and principles outlined in Standard 4;
- External referral where a complaint cannot be resolved by the internal process. This may involve an alternative dispute resolution procedure such as mediation, or referral to another appropriate avenue for resolving the complaint, such as an appeal procedure or other legal remedy;
- Cooperation with external complaint resolution services where a participant has approached such a service, in the investigation of complaints. External complaints mechanisms can include the Complaints Resolution and Referral Service (CRRS), the Abuse and Neglect Hotline, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, and the Privacy Commissioner. Employment services are expected to act upon recommendations made by the independent Complaint Resolution and Referral Service. Further, Disability Employment Services providers are expected to promote the Complaint Resolution and Referral Service, refer unresolved complaints to it, and assist it in its investigations (including providing policy and procedural documentation when requested, access to premises etc). Note: The DEEWR Customer Service Line (CSL) is another complaints mechanism for clients who do not wish to use the CRRS.
- It should be noted that the National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline is available to report allegations of abuse and neglect of people with disability using government funded services. Both the Complaint Resolution and Referral Service and the National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline use the following freecall numbers. Phone: 1800 880 052 TTY: 1800 301 130
There should be evidence of a commitment to resolve complaints at the local level for all Australian Government Disability Employment Services providers.
Return to top
