Rights & Referee: How to Raise an Issue or Complaint (Without Jeopardising Your Supports) + Quick Evidence Checklist

When a support issue arises—like a worker being consistently late, a service not being delivered as agreed, or disrespectful behaviour—your first move is crucial. Start by calmly and clearly raising the issue directly with your provider. This is often the quickest path to resolution. Contact the provider's coordinator or manager, not just the support worker involved. Be specific about what happened, when, and how it affects your supports and goals. For example: "On Monday 15th, my support worker arrived 45 minutes late for my personal care shift, which meant I missed my medical appointment. This impacts my goal of managing my health independently."

While you do this, continue to use your essential supports where it is safe to do so. Stopping all services can create more problems. Instead, you can request a reasonable adjustment, like a temporary change of worker or schedule. Document everything from this first conversation: the date, time, who you spoke to, and what was agreed. This creates a record if you need to escalate later. If you have a support coordinator, loop them in early—they can advocate for you and help navigate the provider's internal processes.