1. Our commitment
Caring Abode welcomes complaints, concerns and feedback. We see them as one of the most important sources of information we have about how to do our job better. Every complaint is taken seriously, treated confidentially, and used to improve the way we support people.
You have a right to make a complaint. Doing so will never affect the support you or your family member receives.
2. Who can make a complaint
Anyone can make a complaint, including:
- A participant receiving services from Caring Abode
- A family member, carer, advocate or guardian
- A Support Coordinator, LAC or allied health professional
- A staff member or contractor
- A member of the public
You can make a complaint on your own behalf, or with the help of an advocate or support person. If you'd like help finding an independent advocate, we can point you to one.
3. What you can complain about
You can raise a complaint about anything to do with our service, including:
- The quality or reliability of supports we provide
- The behaviour or conduct of a staff member
- The condition of a property or vehicle
- How your money has been charged — including rent, service fees, Centrepay deductions or invoicing
- How your personal information has been handled
- How a previous complaint was dealt with
- Any other concern
4. How to make a complaint
You can contact us in whichever way is easiest for you:
- Phone: 1300 856 616 — Mon–Fri 8am–6pm
- Email: complaints@caringabode.com.au or info@caringabode.com.au
- In writing: Lama Care Pty Ltd trading as Caring Abode, Parramatta NSW
- In person: Speak to any Caring Abode staff member, or ask to speak to a coordinator
- Anonymously: You don't have to give us your name. If you do not, we cannot give you a personal response, but we will still investigate.
If English is not your first language or you need help to make a complaint, please tell us and we will arrange an interpreter or other assistance at no cost to you.
5. Our complaints handling and resolution process
Every complaint we receive moves through the same documented stages. The process is aligned with NDIS Practice Standard 1.5 (Feedback and Complaints Management) and the Services Australia Centrepay Procedural Guide for Businesses.
Step 1 — Receipt
All complaints, however received (phone, email, in person, post, anonymously), are entered into our complaints register on the day they are received. Each complaint is given a unique reference number that we use in all subsequent correspondence with you.
Step 2 — Acknowledgement
Within 2 business days of receipt we send you a written acknowledgement (email or letter, your choice). It contains your reference number, the name of the staff member handling your complaint, and an indicative timeframe for resolution.
Step 3 — Initial assessment & triage
The handler categorises the complaint — quality of supports, worker conduct, safety incident, financial / billing / Centrepay, privacy, or other — and decides priority. Complaints involving immediate safety, abuse, neglect or serious financial harm are escalated to the General Manager within the same business day and notified to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission where required.
Step 4 — Investigation
An investigator is appointed who is independent of the matter complained about (a complaint about a worker is not investigated by that worker's direct supervisor without an additional independent reviewer). The investigator gathers relevant records, speaks to the people involved, and documents the facts. Throughout, you are kept informed of progress at least every 10 business days.
Step 5 — Resolution decision
Possible outcomes include: an apology and an explanation; a change to your service or roster; staff coaching or disciplinary action; a refund (under our Refund Policy); a change to our policy or procedure; referral to another agency; or no further action where the complaint is not substantiated. We aim to reach a decision on straightforward complaints within 21 days, and on complex ones within 60 days.
Step 6 — Communication of outcome
You receive a written response setting out: what we looked at, what we found, what we have decided to do, why, and any actions you can take if you are not satisfied (see Step 8).
Step 7 — Internal review
If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can ask for an internal review by a senior staff member who was not involved in the original investigation. Internal reviews are completed within 14 business days and you receive the review outcome in writing.
Step 8 — External escalation
You can also escalate externally — to the NDIS Commission, Services Australia, NSW Ombudsman, NSW Fair Trading or the OAIC — at any point, including before, during or after our internal process. See contact details in the section below.
Step 9 — Record-keeping
Every stage above is documented in the complaints register and the supporting file: who, what, when, decisions made and evidence considered. Records are kept securely for at least 7 years from the date of resolution, in line with NDIS record-keeping requirements.
Step 10 — Continuous improvement
Complaints data is reviewed by leadership quarterly. Themes and trends drive changes to training, policy, rostering, recruitment and supervision. We publish an annual summary of complaint volumes and improvement actions to staff and, on request, to participants and families.
6. What you can expect from us
In plain language, the process above means that when you make a complaint, we will:
- Acknowledge your complaint within 2 business days
- Treat you with respect and take your concerns seriously
- Keep your complaint confidential and only share information with people who need to know
- Investigate fairly, look at the facts, and speak to the people involved
- Keep you informed of progress and tell you what we find
- Aim to resolve straightforward complaints within 21 days, and tell you in writing if a complaint will take longer
- Tell you what we are doing to fix the problem and stop it happening again
- Make sure no participant is disadvantaged for making a complaint
7. If you are not satisfied with our response
If you are not happy with how we have handled your complaint, you can escalate to an external body. There are several, and you can go to any of them at any time — you do not have to come to us first.
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission — for any concern about an NDIS service or worker.
Phone 1800 035 544 · ndiscommission.gov.au - Services Australia (Centrepay) — for concerns about Centrepay deductions.
Phone 1800 050 004 · servicesaustralia.gov.au/centrepay - NSW Ombudsman — for concerns about how a complaint was handled.
Phone 1800 451 524 · ombo.nsw.gov.au - NSW Fair Trading — for tenancy and consumer matters.
Phone 13 32 20 · fairtrading.nsw.gov.au - Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) — for privacy complaints.
Phone 1300 363 992 · oaic.gov.au - If you believe there is an immediate risk to a person's safety, contact Police on 000.
8. How we use complaints
We review every complaint as part of our continuous improvement program. Themes and trends are reported to leadership quarterly. Where a complaint identifies a fault in our systems, training or staffing, we change those systems — not just the individual outcome.
9. Records and privacy
Complaint records are stored securely and handled in line with our Privacy Policy. We will not share information about your complaint with anyone outside Caring Abode without your consent, unless we are required to by law or where there is a serious risk to a person's safety.
10. Contact us
To raise a complaint, give feedback, or ask a question about this policy:
- complaints@caringabode.com.au
- 1300 856 616
- Lama Care Pty Ltd trading as Caring Abode, Parramatta NSW