Making a complaint

We do not manage complaints about Medicare, Centrelink, Child Support or the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). 

Please contact them directly to make a complaint:

• visit Services Australia Services' Complaints and feedback page
• phone the National Disability Insurance Scheme on 1800 800 110 or submit an online feedback form on the NDIS complaints page.

What can you make a complaint about?

You can make a complaint about any service provided by the department or one of its funded service providers. We want our services to work for people who need and use them. We can always do better and we listen to people using our services, their advocates and representatives.

We want to know if:

• You feel a service is unsatisfactory
• You did not receive enough information or choice
• You were denied respect, dignity or privacy.

When handling your complaint we will:

• Provide information that is helpful, accurate, and easy to understand
• Be courteous and considerate in our communication
• Promptly refer requests to the appropriate person
• Respond to your matter within a reasonable time
• Keep you informed of progress or delays.

How to make a complaint

Take the following steps to get your complaint resolved:

Step 1. Discuss your complaint with a staff member, housing officer, your case worker or from the place where you are receiving the service.

Step 2. If you have tried to resolve your concerns but you are still dissatisfied with the outcome, you can discuss your complaint with a senior manager at the local office.

Step 3. If we cannot resolve your complaint at Step 1 or Step 2, you can choose one of the following ways to make a formal complaint to the department:

• Submit your complaint online using the Make a complaint eform
• Telephone the department’s Feedback Service on 1300 884 706
• Email the department’s Feedback Service via feedback@dffh.vic.gov.au
• Mail: Complaints, GPO Box 4057, Melbourne, Victoria 3000.

Make a complaint eform

If you need assistance

The List of Advocacy Organisations in Victoria provides a list of organisations in Victoria which provide advocacy services and can be contacted by any person seeking assistance when communicating with the department.

If you prefer or need another person or organisation to assist or represent you in making and/or resolving your complaint with the department, we will communicate with you through your representative if this is your wish. Anyone may represent a person wishing to make a complaint with their consent. 

We will ask for your permission before we communicate with your advocate. You can give your permission in writing or over the phone. Information about the ways in which you can contact us can be found at the department’s contact us webpage.

Anonymous complaints

There are a couple of ways to make an anonymous complaint. 

You can make a complaint without disclosing who you are. 

You can provide your name and contact details but ask to have your complaint to be marked anonymous. We will not pass your information on to anyone if you do this.

If you make an anonymous complaint, we will not be able to:

• contact you if we need more information
• let you know the outcome of your complaint.

Please let us know if disclosing your name or having us pass on your information worries you.

What happens when you make a complaint

Find out what we do when you make a complaint including our timelines and what to do if you are not happy with the outcome.

See our What happens when you make a complaint page.

Other contacts

Make a report about a child that is at risk

• See our Child Protection contacts page on our Services website.

Report a housing maintenance issue

• Contact the Housing Call Centre on 13 11 72.

Children and young people in care services

If you're a child or young person living in out-of-home care and you want to make a complaint, see Making a complaint for children and young people in care services.