Your right to be safe

We have zero tolerance for abuse, neglect or violence. This includes towards our clients, their family members, providers and our employees.

At the TAC, we have a strong commitment to quality and safeguarding. We work closely with providers and TAC employees to make sure clients receive the best possible care while recovering from a transport accident.

It’s important that as a client, you:

We expect that service providers:

  • know how to recognise and respond to risks
  • have safeguarding systems in place including how to respond if an incident occurs or a concern is raised
  • deliver safe, high-quality services where abuse, neglect or exploitation is not accepted in any form.

The TAC is committed to being a child safe organisation, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of children and young people across TAC services and programs. See our Child safety page for more information.

For more information on your rights and responsibilities as a TAC client working with the TAC visit Rights and responsibilities page.

What is quality and safeguarding?

Quality is defined by the TAC as services that:

  • focus on providing positive outcomes for people who use those services.
  • involve individuals in service design, promote continuous improvement, and monitor performance to improve the services.
  • have mechanisms to ensure people have a way of raising concerns and resolving issues.

Safeguarding is about protecting the rights of people to be safe from the risk of abuse or neglect, while maximising the choice and control they have over their lives. Safeguards can include:

  • informal safeguards such as self-advocacy and building a network of trusted relationships.
  • formal safeguards such as legislative and administrative requirements, policies and practices, organisational culture that promotes human rights, and complaints processes.

How do I know if my supports are safe and of good quality?

You have the right to be safe and to be treated with dignity and respect at all times.

The Your Care Brochure can help you understand if the care and support you receive is safe and of good quality.

Who can you speak to if you have concerns about the quality or safety of your supports?

You can speak to whoever you feel safe with about the quality or safety of your TAC-funded  supports and services.

Your service providers should let you know who you can contact and how you can raise concerns directly with them in the first instance.

Raising a concern or making a complaint will not impact the support you receive from the TAC.

If you have a quality or safety concern related to a TAC funded service provider, visit our concerns and complaints page.

In some cases, if a serious incident has happened that caused you harm or placed you at serious risk of harm, the provider needs to report this to the TAC. If this incident involves a disability service registered with the Social Services Regulator, they must follow the Serious Incident Reporting process.

What other supports are available?

The Your Care Brochure includes a list of additional services and supports you can access if you are concerned about your health or safety.

For health and disability services in Victoria you can make a report to the following agencies:

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
1300 419 495
www.ahpra.gov.au

Disability Services Commissioner
1800 677 342
www.odsc.vic.gov.au

Health Complaints Commissioner
1300 582 113
www.hcc.vic.gov.au

Victorian Disability Worker Commission (VDWC)
1800 497 132
www.vdwc.vic.gov.au