We welcome feedback and will deal with complaints in an open and fair way.
Service User and Client Feedback and Complaints Policy
You have a right to make a complaint about the services provided by Social Security Rights Victoria (SSRV) staff or volunteers, how you were treated and other matters.
SSRV seeks to improve its services through feedback and complaints. We take all service user and client feedback and complaints seriously. If you need help with providing feedback or making a complaint, you can speak to us about how we may assist you.
You can provide feedback or make a complaint verbally (Telephone: 03 9481 0299) or in writing (Email: info@ssrv.org.au Mail: PO Box 4226, Fitzroy VIC 3065).
Service users and clients may provide feedback or make complaints anonymously.
All staff may receive informal feedback from service users and clients. The staff member will pass the feedback on to the Director and other person/s within the organisation as relevant. We keep a register of informal feedback.
This is used to review and improve our services.
You will be asked during your initial advice session whether you give permission for SSRV to contact you in the future to seek more formal feedback on service provision.
All complaints will be dealt with:
- following the principles of natural justice
- promptly
- respectfully
- in a way that protects your privacy and confidentiality.
Where we provide ongoing assistance, you will receive a letter of engagement which will set out the client complaints process.
Many complaints can be resolved by talking to the person you dealt with to see if your concerns can be resolved.
If you want to make a formal verbal complaint about legal services that have been provided, the matter will generally be referred to the Principal Lawyer. Where the complaint is regarding the Principal Lawyer, it will be referred to the Director.
The Principal Lawyer advises the Director of all verbal client complaints and consults with the Director as necessary in resolving the matters.
Where a formal complaint is made in writing, the complaint will be given to the CEO who will decide how it will be managed. If the complaint is about the provision of legal advice and assistance services, the Principal Lawyer will be involved in resolving the complaint, unless the complaint involves the Principal Lawyer.
Where a service user or client wants to make a complaint about the CEO, it will be referred to the President of the SSRV Board of Management.
If you make a written complaint, you will be contacted within seven business days of the complaint being received. Information about the process and timeframe for addressing the complaint will be provided. We may request that you provide additional information to assist us to properly assess the complaint.
We will attempt to investigate and propose an outcome within 30 days of the complaint being received. If this is not possible, we will notify you.
We will advise you when the investigation of the complaint is completed. If appropriate, we will advise you of the outcome.
The SSRV Board receives reports about written complaints. The CEO keeps a register of service user and client complaints and of how they are resolved. This information is used to review and improve our services.
If your complaint is about a lawyer you have a right to take the complaint to the Victorian Legal Services Commissioner – Address: Level 9, 330 Collins Street Melbourne, Victoria,3000 Telephone: 1300 796 344 (local calls within Victoria) or 9679 8001 Website: www.lsbc.vic.gov.au
