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Disability advocacy
Disability advocacy agencies provide a critical role in ensuring that the rights and interests of people with a disability are respected and realised.
Disability advocacy agencies aim to ensure that:
- The rights of people with a disability, as members of our community, are upheld
- People with a disability make their own decisions, particularly those where the outcomes affect their lives.
An advocacy agency can help people to arrive at an agreement between themselves and another person or a community agency over any matter to do with their disability. The agency can usually provide this help in a variety of ways, including:
- Providing advice
- Accompanying Consumers at meetings where the service is to be discussed to provide moral support
- Accompanying Consumers to such a meeting and speaking on behalf of the person.
Advocacy agencies can be particularly helpful if there has been some disagreement and the Consumer has had difficulty dealing on their own with the people involved.
Click here for contact details of community organisations that can provide information and assistance.
Assistance
Assistance is available to help you lodge a complaint. Ask the agency for assistance, which could include arranging for a professional interpreter in the language you are most comfortable with or help with filling in a form.
Translating and Interpreting Service
The Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) provides a free, national 24 hour a day, seven days a week telephone interpreting service on a national telephone number.
Call 131 450
Community Support Incorporated embraces the principle that customers have the right to complain and to have the complaint investigated fairly, objectively, promptly and without fear of retribution. It recognises that specific groups, for example people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and people with disabilities understand and are able to participate in these processes.
The right of complainants to involve an advocate of their choice is recognised and supported.
How does CSI view advocacy agencies?
CSI believes that:
- Any user of its services has a right to seek the support of an advocacy agency to help deal with a disagreement with the organisation
- It has a responsibility to work together in a co-operative manner with workers from such agencies
- It has the responsibility of making sure that users of its services are aware of advocacy agencies and how to contact them
Advocacy agencies and how to contact them
Legal Services Commission
Telephone Advisory Service Telephone: 1300 366 424
Legal Services Commision Website
Complaints
If anyone has a complaint about the Commission, they can contact the Client Relations Coordinator, Sue Brebner, telephone (08)8463 3596, sue.brebner@sa.gov.au. She can also provide advice and assistance in lodging appeals against refusals of aid, and help to identify other sources of assistance.
MALSSA (Head Office – Adelaide)
(Provides a service to disabled people from non-English speaking backgrounds)
MALSSA Website
Ombudsman (South Australian Government)
Ombudsman SA Website
Ombudsman (Commonwealth)
Commenwealth Ombudsman Website
Parent Advocacy Incorporated
Address: 1 Finnis Street, North Adelaide, SA 5006
Telephone: (08) 239 0178
Disclaimer: The above information on is of a general nature only and does not constitute advice. Community Support Incorporated makes no representations, express or implied, as to the accuracy, usefulness, suitability or application of the information to a Consumer’s particular circumstances. Use of the information above is at your sole risk, and you should seek professional advice before acting or relying on the information. Community Support Incorporated accepts no liability for any damages or loss that may arise from the use of, or any omission from, the information provided. In using this site, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of use for the site.
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