Feedback and complaints

Any person may provide Berry Street with feedback or make a complaint regarding any aspect of our services, programs, procedures or policy.

Your feedback and complaints are important and helps us provide timely and appropriate support while helping us to continually improve our service delivery. If you are unhappy, we can work with you to resolve any complaints you may have.

To give general feedback or lodge a complaint, please get in touch via the Feedback and Complaints form.

Please view our feedback and complaints policy here.

Alternatively you can call the Berry Street office nearest to you and ask to speak with a staff member from the service you access or to the Regional Director.

Past Clients of Berry Street

If you are a past client who experienced abuse in care with Berry Street you can lodge a complaint with us or make an application through the National Redress Scheme. Find out how to lodge a complaint.

The Whistleblower Service

Berry Street is committed to treating complaints or allegations in a respectful way – confidentially, with a fair hearing and due process for everyone involved. We recognise that a genuine commitment to detecting and preventing illegal and other undesirable conduct must include a mechanism whereby employees and others can report their concerns freely, in good faith and without fear of reprisal. Our Whistleblower Policy can be accessed here.

This service is available 24/7. This service is anonymous. The person making the disclosure will not be asked to reveal their identity unless they choose to do so.

Telephone: 1800 986 476

Website: www.berrystreetwhistleblower.deloitte.com.au

Email: berrystreetwhistleblower@deloitte.com.au

Independent Complaints Advice

Berry Street will always try and resolve any complaint as quickly and fairly as possible. We encourage any clients that have a complaint to raise it with us in the first instance. We understand though that at times a client may wish to take a complaint to an independent body. It is your right to seek independent advice and support and the following independent agencies may be able to assist.

Victorian Ombudsman

The Ombudsman can enquire into and investigate complaints made regarding the actions of a registered community service. This can include such services as residential care units, home-based care, family support and specialist services.

P: 03 9613 6222
E: ombudvic@ombudsman.vic.gov.au
W: www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au

Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner

Members of the public may make a complaint to the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner if they believe that a Victorian Government agency, a local council or an agency providing services for the State has breached their privacy.

P: 1300 006 842
E: enquiries@ovic.vic.gov.au
W: www.ovic.vic.gov.au

Commission for Children and Young People

The Commission for Children and Young People does not investigate complaints concerning individual children and young people in out-of-home care. They can refer complaints to the Department of Health and Human Services and provide advice to people with concerns for the wellbeing of children and young people in out-of-home care.

P: 1300 78 29 78
E: contact@ccyp.vic.gov.au
W: https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/

Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority

The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) is Victoria's education and training regulator. They are an independent statutory authority that works to assure the quality of education and training in Victoria. The VRQA can investigate complaints about breaches of standards and guidelines by organisations in Victoria that are registered with us, home schooling in Victoria and issues relating to apprentice and trainee contracts.

P: 9637 2806
E: vrqa@education.vic.gov.au
W: https://www.vrqa.vic.gov.au/complaints/Pages/complaints.aspx

Child safety

Berry Street is committed to being a child safe, child friendly and child focused organisation. Berry Street works with groups of children and young people who may be particularly vulnerable to abuse. Accordingly, Berry Street pays particular attention to:

• the safety of children in out of home care
• the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
• the cultural safety of children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds
• the safety of children with a disability
• the safety of children who identify as LGBTIQA+.

If you believe that there is an immediate threat to life, a sexual or physical assault has occurred or that any other crime has been committed call 000 and report the matter to Victoria Police.

We are all responsible for keeping children safe and have a duty of care to ensure that any form of abuse against a child is reported.

There is zero tolerance for any form of child abuse or maltreatment within the organisation and zero tolerance for not reporting any suspected abuse or maltreatment both internally and to external authorities including Police and Child Protection.

If you need to contact child protection, you can find their contact details on the DHHS website here.