Help is at Hand Co. – Complaint Handling Policy
ABN: 11 972 123 896
1. Purpose
Help is at Hand Co. is committed to providing personalised advocacy, assistance, support, and referrals with professionalism, compassion, and integrity. We value feedback from our clients, the community, and partner organisations, as it helps us improve our services and uphold the highest standards.
This policy outlines how we manage complaints in a way that is fair, respectful, and prompt. It ensures all complaints are addressed constructively, in line with best practice and our legal obligations.
2. Scope
This policy applies to complaints received from:
- Current or former clients
- Prospective clients
- Members of the public
- Partner or referral organisations
It covers all aspects of our work, including:
- Service delivery
- Communication and conduct
- Administrative processes
- Privacy and confidentiality
3. Our Commitment
We will:
- Treat all complaints with respect and without bias.
- Handle matters promptly, fairly, and with transparency.
- Maintain confidentiality in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the Australian Privacy Principles.
- Ensure no individual is disadvantaged for making a complaint.
- Take reasonable steps to resolve issues to the satisfaction of all parties wherever possible.
4. How to Make a Complaint
If you have a concern or complaint:
1. First Point of Contact – Your Advocacy Expert
- If you are a current client, please raise your concern directly with your assigned Advocacy Expert.
- They will listen to your concerns, clarify the issues, and work with you to try to resolve the matter promptly.
2. Escalation – Chief Advocacy Consultant & Chief Privacy Officer
- If your complaint remains unresolved after speaking with your Advocacy Expert, it will be escalated to:
Simon Farrugia
Chief Advocacy Consultant & Chief Privacy Officer
Email: (Provided upon escalation)
Once you email Simon with the details of your complaint, he will call you back promptly to discuss the matter further.
3. Urgent Complaints
- For urgent or sensitive matters, please include “Urgent Complaint” in the subject line of your email.
5. Complaint Process
Our complaint resolution process is as follows:
1. Acknowledgement – Your Advocacy Expert will acknowledge your complaint within 2 business days.
2. Review by Advocacy Expert – Your Advocacy Expert will investigate your concerns, discuss possible resolutions with you, and aim to resolve the matter at this stage.
3. Escalation – If unresolved, your complaint will be referred to Simon Farrugia, who will review all documentation and communications.
4. Investigation – Simon will conduct further investigation if required, which may involve speaking with relevant parties and reviewing service records.
5. Response – We aim to provide a final response within 10 business days from escalation. If more time is needed, we will inform you of the reasons and expected timeframe.
6. Outcome – Simon will contact you directly to explain the findings, decision, and any actions to be taken.
6. External Escalation Options
If you are dissatisfied with our resolution, you may refer your complaint to an external body such as:
- Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) – for privacy-related complaints.
- Consumer Affairs Victoria – for consumer or service delivery complaints.
7. Confidentiality and Record-Keeping
- All complaints will be recorded in our secure complaints register.
- Information will only be shared with those directly involved in resolving the complaint.
- Records will be retained in accordance with legal requirements.
8. Review of Policy
This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it remains effective, relevant, and aligned with best practice.
Approved by: Marcus Barlow – Director, Help is at Hand Co.
Effective Date: 1st August 2025
Next Review Date: 1st August 2026
