Tell us what you think

We want to hear from you.

You can tell us what you like.
You can tell us what you don't like.

It is OK to complain.

You will not get in trouble.
Your support will not change.
You do not have to give your name.

How to tell us

  • Call us on 0451 839 147
  • Email admin@nextstepliving.com.au
  • Tell your support worker

Someone can help you.

A family member, friend or advocate can help you tell us.

What we will do

  1. We will listen.
  2. We will tell you we got your message within 3 days.
  3. We will try to fix the problem.
  4. We will tell you what we did.

You can also tell the NDIS Commission.

  • Call 1800 035 544
  • Go to www.ndiscommission.gov.au

You can contact them any time.

Feedback & Complaints

We want to hear from you. Your feedback, good or bad, helps us get things right and make our supports better.

Anyone can give feedback or make a complaint, including participants, families, carers, advocates, support coordinators and other providers. You can give your name, or stay anonymous.

You won't be treated differently

Giving feedback or making a complaint will never affect your supports or how we treat you. We won't punish, blame or disadvantage anyone for speaking up or for being involved in a complaint. Any retaliation, such as threats or changes to your services, is treated as a serious matter in its own right.

How to give feedback or make a complaint

Choose whatever way is easiest for you:

  • Call: 0451 839 147 (contactable 7 days, 7am–7pm, with support provided outside these hours)
  • Email: admin@nextstepliving.com.au
  • Online: use the form on our Contact page and put "Feedback" or "Complaint" in your message
  • In person: tell your support worker or any member of our team, and they'll pass it on

We also have a Feedback and Complaints Form. Ask us for a copy, and we can help you fill it in.

To stay anonymous, you can leave your name off your complaint, or ask an advocate to contact us for you.

You can ask a family member, friend, carer or advocate to help you or to speak for you.

What happens next

  1. We listen and record it. We'll thank you, take careful notes and record your complaint in our complaints register.
  2. We let you know we've got it. We'll acknowledge your complaint within 3 days, usually by phone or email.
  3. We look into it fairly. Our Complaints Manager (one of our directors) will look at what happened and what you'd like to happen. If needed, they'll investigate fairly and respectfully, and give everyone involved a chance to be heard. If your complaint is about the Complaints Manager, another member of our management team will handle it.
  4. We tell you the outcome. We'll explain what we found and what we're doing about it, and apologise where we got it wrong. We aim to resolve complaints as quickly as we can, and we'll keep you updated along the way.
  5. You can ask for a review. If you're not happy with the outcome, you can ask us to look at it again, or take it to the NDIS Commission (below).
  6. We learn from it. We regularly review feedback and complaints to spot problems early and improve our supports for everyone.

If a complaint affects a person with disability who didn't make the complaint, we'll involve them too. We'll keep them informed of what we're doing and why, and of how to have decisions reviewed.

Your privacy

We keep complaints confidential. Only the people who need to know to resolve it will see the details. We'll only share information if the law requires it, or if it's needed to resolve the complaint, and we'll ask you first where we can.

Getting help from an advocate

An independent advocate can help you speak up, understand your rights and make a complaint. Advocacy is free, and we're happy to work with your advocate.

Your right to contact the NDIS Commission

You can contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission at any time. You don't have to talk to us first. If you'd like help to do this, we'll support you.

The NDIS Commission can take complaints about supports that weren't delivered safely, respectfully or to an appropriate standard.

Help to communicate

  • Interpreter: call TIS National on 131 450 and ask them to call us on 0451 839 147.
  • Hearing or speech impairment: use the National Relay Service: www.accesshub.gov.au

Compliments

Has someone on our team made a difference? We'd love to hear about it. Call or email us and we'll pass it on.