K and K Quality Care Complaint Policy - KK Quality Care - Recreational group & Disability services

4. K and K Quality Care Complaint Policy

K and K Quality Care values the perspective and feedback input from our participants, their families or carers and the community. K and K Quality Care are committed to meeting the needs of children, young people and adults with safety, dignity, and respect. If K and K Quality Care does not meet participant service expectations, we urge you to speak out and let us know. We are committed to learning from your experiences to help us continually improve our services.

K and K Quality Care ensures participants, their families, carers, advocates, and other service providers can easily make a complaint and have it managed fairly and quickly. K and K Quality Care staff will take your complaint seriously, investigate, identify the cause of the issue and work with you to find a resolution.

K and K Quality Care ensure participants are treated fairly if a complaint is made. Open and transparent communication between K and K Quality Care and participants helps fosters a culture which supports safe service provision for children, young people, and adults.

K and K Quality Care’s complaint management and resolution system aligns with the Child Safe Standards and complies with requirements under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Complaints Management and Resolution) Rules 2018 and National Disability Insurance Scheme (Code of Conduct) Rules 2018. All K and K Quality Care staff are aware of, trained in, and comply with the required procedures in relation to complaints handling.

Making a complaint

A participant, their family, service provider or advocate can make a complaint directly to a staff member providing a service. Our staff are committed to listening, understanding your experiences, and supporting participants to achieve a resolution.
K and K Quality Care staff will encourage children, young people, or adults with a disability to use an advocate who can support you or act on behalf of a person with their consent. The advocate may be a family member or friend or sourced (with assistance from staff if required) through the National Disability Advocacy Program.

A complaint can be made verbally to staff or Director Kiran Singh Ph: 0458 519 641 who will:

- listen openly and respectfully to the concerns being raised by the person
- ask about the outcome the person feels will address the concern
- try to resolve the concern
- provide information about K and K Quality Care complaint process
- document your concerns
- escalate details of the compliant, discussions about the complaint and action taken to resolve the complaint to Director Kiran Singh
- explain that a complaint can be made to The NDIS Commissioner or
- explain that a person can ask for an advocate or support person to help them talk about the complaint or experience

A complaint can be made in writing to staff or directly to Director Kiran Singh at kiran.singh@kkqualitycare.com.au that includes:

- name and contact details of person making the complaint
- the nature of the complaint
- details of any steps you have already taken to resolve the complaint
- details of conversations you may have had with us that may be relevant to your complaint
- copies of any documentation which may be relevant
- contact details for a third person you would like to act on your behalf
- your preferred method of return communication

A complaint can be made through our website at https://www.kkqualitycare.com.au/ “Make a Complaint” link and the information will be directed to Director Kiran Singh. If you make a complaint using this link, please provide:

- your name and contact details
- the nature of the complaint
- details of any steps you have already taken to resolve the complaint
- details of conversations that may be relevant to the complaint
- contact details for a third person you would like to act on your behalf
- your preferred method of return communication

Anonymous Complaints

A complaint can be made anonymously through our website at https://www.kkqualitycare.com.au/ by clicking the anonymous button in the “Make a Complaint” link. It is important to understand that an anonymous complaint may not provide sufficient information for K and K Quality Care to understand, investigate or respond to the concerns raised. All anonymous complaints will be directed to Director Kiran Singh to assess and respond.

Time Frame

K and K Quality Care are committed to resolving a complaint within five days. In some cases where the complaint is complex, K and K Quality Care may need up to 28 days to understand, investigate and resolve the concerns. K and K Quality Care Director Kiran Singh will keep you informed about our progress resolving the complaint if the 5 day resolution period is not met.

Regulatory Bodies

At any time, a participant, their family, advocate, service provider or nominated person acting on their behalf can make a complaint about K and K Quality Care or the support we provide to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission by phone: 1800 035 544 TTY 133 677 or email contactcentre@ndiscommission.gov.au.
If a person making the complaint is not satisfied with the response by NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, a request for an internal review can be made or the Commonwealth Ombudsman can be contacted on 1300 362 072 or by completing a complaint form https://www.ombudsman.gov.au/.

K and K Quality Care Staff will assist complainants or people with disability affected by complaints to contact the NDIS Commission or other complaints body, where required. Staff will take all reasonable steps to ensure complainants or people with disability affected by complaints are not adversely affected or fear retribution because a complaint was made by them or on their behalf.

Where a complaint about K and K Quality Care is made to the NDIS Commission, all staff will:

- comply with any orders or requests made by the NDIS Commission
- assist in any resolution process or inquiry undertaken by the NDIS Commission

Confidentiality

K and K Quality Care will ensure confidentiality of complaints and feedback is maintained as a fundamental human right to privacy. K and K Quality Care Director and the staff who is the first respondent to the complaint are bound by privacy to share information with the necessary staff and participants.

In circumstances where a criminal offence, child abuse, neglect, exploitation, or reportable conduct has occurred, K and K Quality Care may need to report to the Police, Department of Communities and Justice, NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Commission or Office of the Children’s Guardian.

Evaluation of complaints

K and K Quality Care will take note of any feedback, complaints and concerns provided. This information will be passed on to K and K Quality Care director within 24 hours to help support a fair, empathetic and thorough investigation of the complaint in line with natural justice.

Investigation of complaints will not be conducted by:

- a person about whom a complaint has been made
- a person who has a conflict of interest in the matter
- a person who is not part of the Leadership Team

Director Kiran Singh will contact the person making the complaint, or their nominated person, within 24 hours of receiving the complaint to:

- seek further information
- understand the experience, perspective, and impact on the person
- collaborate about potential ways to resolve the situation that could include changing service delivery, changing staff, internal or external mediation, further investigation or a written agreement
- provide further information about advocacy, external complaints system and counselling
- provide a time frame to implement agreed resolution

20.Director Kiran Singh will notify staff who are subject to a complaint within 24 hours of notification about the complaint or feedback to:

- seek further information
- explain the experience, perspective, and impact on the person
- collaborate about potential ways to resolve the situation that could include changing service delivery, changing staff, internal or external mediation, further investigation or a written agreement
- identify potential breaches of Code of Conduct or legislation
- provide directions about work practices, further training, or disciplinary action.

In circumstances where K and K Quality Care Director is unable to manage a complaint due to a conflict of interest, the Operational Manager or other designated Manager will head the complaint process.

Findings of the investigation into the complaint.

K and K Quality Care will provide a written summary findings within five days of the evaluation to both staff and the person making the complaint. The findings will provide:

- a statement of the complaint and the issue
- the views of the person who made the complaint
- the underlying reasons the concern or complaint arose
- actions taken to resolve the complaint or concern
- how the actions will be implemented and monitored
- a review date within 30 days to discuss progress of the actions and assess if the concern or complaint is resolved

K and K Quality Care will record concerns and complaints, the cause of the issue, and actions taken to resolve the matter on our Complaint Register to ensure we learn how to continuously improve the safety, service provision and implementation of human rights for our participants.

Complaint about findings

K and K Quality Care Director can be contacted by telephone Ph: 0458 519 641 or email kiran.singh@kkqualitycare.com.au if staff, person making the complaint or person acting on behalf of the complaint, is not satisfied with the findings of the investigation into the complaint.

K and K Quality Care Director may take further action in response to a complaint about the findings that include:

- attaching an annexure to the findings with additional information or resolution strategies
- arranging an internal review by the Operational Manager
- arranging an external review by an audit company
- referring the complaint to NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
- referring to external mediation to resolve the complaint

Relevant Documents

Disability Inclusion Act 2014 (NSW)

Disability Inclusion Regulation 2014 (NSW)

Children and Young Person’s (Care and Protection) Act 1998

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)

NDIS Practice Standards and Quality Indicators

Child Safe Standards

K and K Quality Care Reportable Conduct of Child Abuse Procedure

K and K Quality Care Incident and Hazard Management Procedure

NDIS Commission Reportable Incidents Procedure

K and K Quality Care Induction Procedure