Complaints Management for Support Coordinators
How to handle support coordinator complaints under the NDIS Code of Conduct and Commission rules — pathways, timeframes, records and a worked example.
Two complaint systems run in parallel
Where support coordinator complaints can be made
Do you need a complaints process if you are unregistered?
What a compliant internal process must do
When you must notify the NDIS Commission
Complaints versus reportable incidents
Handling a complaint step by step
Records: the evidence that protects you
Complaints that expose conflict of interest
Common mistakes
Timeframes and responsibilities at a glance
Frequently asked questions
Can a participant complain about me directly to the NDIS Commission without telling me first?
Yes. Any person can complain to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission on 1800 035 544 at any time, with or without raising it with you first, and whether or not you are registered. You have no right to be notified before they do so, and discouraging or retaliating against them is itself a Code of Conduct breach.
Do I need a formal complaints policy if I am an unregistered standard support coordinator?
The Practice Standard that formally requires one binds registered providers, and mandatory registration for standard support coordination (group 0106) is paused. But the NDIS Code of Conduct applies to you regardless, and you cannot meet it without a way to receive and resolve complaints. Keep a short written policy and a complaints register — it is best practice and protects you if the Commission examines your service.
What is the difference between a complaint and a reportable incident?
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction with your service or conduct. A reportable incident is a defined serious event — death, serious injury, abuse, neglect, unlawful sexual or physical contact, sexual misconduct, or unauthorised restrictive practice — connected to the provision of supports. A complaint can contain a reportable incident; assess every complaint for one and, if it applies, run the reportable-incident process alongside resolving the complaint.
A participant is unhappy with their plan funding — is that a complaint about me?
No. Disputes about an NDIA planning or funding decision go to the NDIA and, if unresolved, the Administrative Review Tribunal, not to your complaints process or the NDIS Commission. Direct the participant to the correct channel; misrouting them wastes time and can look like avoidance.
How long do I have to keep complaint records?
Maintain a complaints register and linked case notes for as long as your record-keeping obligations require — align this with your broader NDIS record retention and audit-ready file. Contemporaneous records are your main protection if a complaint escalates to the Commission, so keep them complete and reconciled with your invoicing.