Complaints Resolution and Referral Service (CRRS)

Disability Services Standards

The Disability Services Standards are 12 rules that disability services must follow to get funding from the Australian Government. When looking at a complaint, the CRRS will make sure that a service is following these rules.
The Disability Services Standards are:


1. Service access: ‘Getting a service when you need it.’


A woman using a wheelchair accesses a service by a ramp.
Does the service have fair rules about who can use the service?


2. Individual needs: ‘Getting the help that you need.’


A service worker helps a service user to plan their goals at work.
Does the service

  • help you to work out your goals?
  • give you the help you need to reach those goals?
  • meet your cultural needs?


3. Decision-making and choice: ‘Having your say.’


A service provider asks service users for their ideas.
Does the service

  • give you choices?
  • ask you how the service can be made better?
  • listen to what you have to say about the service?


4. Privacy, dignity and confidentiality: ‘Keeping things private.’


A service worker locks a service user's file in a filing cabinet.
Does the service

  • keep information about you in a private place?
  • only talk to other people about you when you say it is OK?
  • treat you with respect?


5. Participation and integration: ‘Taking part in the community.’


A man with disability greets his co-workers on arriving at work.
Does the service

  • help you to be a part of the community?
  • help you to get a job in the community?
  • help you to use services in the community?


6. Valued status: ‘Doing things that the community thinks are important.’


A woman with disability takes part in a meeting of the social club at work.
Does the service

  • respect you and your ideas?
  • help you to do things that other people in the community do?


7. Complaints and disputes: ‘Saying there is a problem and getting it fixed.’


A woman hands a complaint to a service provider. The service provider tells her that her complaint will be fixed.
Does the service

  • tell you how to make a complaint?
  • help you to make a complaint?
  • fix the complaint that you have?


8. Service management: ‘Running the service well.’


A service provider presents a plan for the service to a service user.
Does the service

  • follow the standards or rules?
  • have a plan to make the service better?
  • have good policies?


9. Employment conditions: ‘Having rights at work.’


A group of wokers operate machinery. They all wear protective clothing.
Does the service

  • give you a fair wage?
  • make sure you are safe at work?
  • give you time off when you are sick?


10. Service recipient training and support: ‘Learning skills so you can work.’


A service provider gives training to a group of service users.
Does the service give you training so you can find a job, keep a job, learn how to do new jobs?


11. Staff recruitment, employment and training: ‘Having staff who can help you.’


A service worker tells a service user that they can help.
Does the service

  • make sure you have staff who know how to support you?
  • train the staff to make sure they keep and improve their skills?


12. Protection of human rights and freedom from abuse: ‘Being safe and feeling safe.’


A service worker asks two service users to work together.
Does the service protect you from abuse and neglect to make sure you are safe?

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Back to About complaints

 

Who can complain to the CRRS?

Anyone can make a complaint to the CRRS. If a person contacts the CRRS with a complaint on your behalf, the CRRS will gain your permission before looking into the complaint.


What will the CRRS do?

The CRRS will

  • listen and write down your complaint
  • get your permission to talk to the service and maybe others who are involved
  • find a support person or advocate to help you with your complaint
  • refer you to other services and organisations to help resolve your complaint (for example legal services, counselling, WorkCover)
  • talk to your service on your behalf about your complaint
  • stay impartial.

The CRRS has different ways of resolving complaints:


CRRS-directed local resolution Local resolution meeting and agreement.

The CRRS will assist you and your service to resolve the complaint together. CRRS can provide you with meeting documents to assist this process.

 

Investigation Investigating your complaint.

The CRRS will write to your service about your complaint and then find out what happened. CRRS may make recommendations to address your complaint.


Conciliation Local resolution meeting and agreement.

The CRRS will facilitate a meeting between the service and you (including any support people) to resolve the complaint.

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