Quality Strategy Toolkit
for Australian Disability Enterprises
and Disability Employment Services
Home » Quality Strategy Toolkit » Section 4: Complaints and referrals
Strong and impartial complaints and appeals processes are vital components of the Quality Strategy. They provide the checks and balances within the system and opportunities for developing service excellence.
As part of implementing the Quality Strategy, Disability Services Standard 7 requires service providers to have an internal complaints and disputes mechanism, such that: 'Each service recipient is encouraged to raise, and have resolved without fear of retribution, any complaints he or she may have regarding the service provider and or service.' [Standard 7]
This toolkit divides complaints and referrals into two main areas:
This toolkit does not go into detail about managing complaints made to you by staff. However, the principles of complaint management remain the same regardless of the complainant. All your policies, procedures and training should include staff. When reading this section, you may also like to refer to Section 3, Continuous improvement - Standard 7.