On this page:
A concern about your local area coordinator, early childhood partner or NDIA staff
Concerns can include things like:
- you aren’t treated in a safe or respectful way
- you have asked for someone to contact you, but nobody does
- they don’t do what they said they would do
You can take these steps to resolve your concern:
- Talk to them about your concern if you feel you can do this.
- If you don’t feel you can talk with them or they don’t help you with your concern, talk to someone you trust. They may be able to support you to resolve the concern.
- If you can’t find a solution, you might want to make a complaint. To do this you can:
- use our online form on the feedback and complaints page
- send an email to [email protected]
- call us on 1800 800 110
- contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
If we can’t help you, we will refer you to someone who can.
Our Participant Service Guarantee sets out our timelines for dealing with complaints. You can read more about our Participant Service Guarantee.
A concern about your provider
Supports can include things like support coordination, plan management, support workers, therapists, assistive technology, or personal care.
Concerns with supports can include things like:
- not getting the service you agreed to
- not getting the quality or standard you expect
- being asked to choose a provider or support without talking about other options
- not being listened to when you ask to change the provider of your support
- not getting value for money or supports delivered within your budget
- faulty supports
- support not being provided in a safe or respectful way
- support workers not turning up when they said they would or not spending the agreed time
Providers try to do the right thing but if something doesn’t feel right, you can report suspicious behaviour.
Steps to take when you have concerns about your provider
Get to know your rights
- You have the right to choose a different provider if you’re not happy. This includes support coordinators, recovery coaches and plan managers.
- All providers should have a complaints process. You can search for it on their website or ask them for details.
- The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission works with all providers. All NDIS providers must abide by the NDIS Code of Conduct. Learn about your rights in their participant information pack .
- You have consumer rights when you buy supports with your NDIS funding:
- Australian Consumer Law
- Consumer rights and guarantees and consumers with disability on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission website
- Consumer rights
- We have rules in place to help protect you from harm, abuse, neglect or exploitation.
Talk to your provider about your concerns.
You can ask someone you trust to help you prepare or be with you when you talk to your provider.
- Contact your provider as soon as you can if you feel you can do this. You might contact the person or the organisation that employs them. Let them know about your concern and any changes you’d like to make to your supports.
- If you don’t feel you can talk to your provider, or they don’t help you with your concern, talk to someone you trust.
Talk to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
You can talk to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission if you have concerns about the quality or safety of your current NDIS supports or services.
You can also make a complaint about a provider .
- The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has a participant information pack that gives you information about your rights.
- You can contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission through their website or call them on 1800 035 544.
A concern about supports the NDIS doesn’t fund
Mainstream supports
If you have a concern about any mainstream supports you get, you need to contact the organisation that provided the support.
For example, if you want to make a complaint about treatment you received in hospital, you should contact the hospital.
Informal supports
Concerns can include things like:
- you think you don’t have enough informal supports
- you think your support person is not acting in your best interests
Your local area coordinator, early childhood partner, NDIS planner, support coordinator or recovery coach can make sure you are safe.
They might help you engage with other members of your family or community. If this isn’t possible, they can talk with you about your options if you need more support.
They can talk with you about how to get help to make NDIS decisions if you don’t feel safe, or your support person is not acting in your best interests.
Accessibility in your community
Concerns can include things like:
- a two-storey building that doesn’t have a lift for you to use
- a local cinema that doesn’t have relay loop for hearing impairment.
You can:
- Talk with the organisation about the issue or talk to your local council, if you feel you can do this
- Contact a disability advocate and ask them if they can help.
Workplace issues
If you have an issue at your workplace, you should talk to your manager, human resources department, or support person if you have one.
You feel unsafe or pressured
This might include:
- someone hurting you or touching you inappropriately
- feeling pressured to do something you are not OK with
- being left alone when you shouldn’t be
You should talk with someone you trust, like your nominee or family member.
You can also talk to your local area coordinator, early childhood partner, NDIS planner, support coordinator or recovery coach. They can help make sure you are safe.
If you are at immediate risk of harm, or have concerns about a person’s wellbeing, call 000 immediately.
You can learn more about the rules in place to help protect you from harm, abuse, neglect or exploitation.
If you have a concern about the quality or safety of your current NDIS supports or services, you can contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission through their website or call them on 1800 035 544.
They have information on their website about how to make a complaint and what they will do .
The National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline
Anyone can contact the National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline. It is a free, independent and confidential service for reporting abuse and neglect of people with disability.
To make a report:
- Call 1800 880 052 (toll free) and speak with an experienced Hotline staff member
- Callers who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment can contact the National Relay Service (NRS) by calling 133 677 then asking for
1800 880 052 - Callers from a non-English speaking background can use the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) by calling 13 14 50
- Send an email to: [email protected]