Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (‘DFFH’) provides services across Victoria, including child protection, out-of-home care, disability services, public housing, homelessness, family and youth support, and family violence services. You can complain to DFFH if you or someone you support has faced unfair treatment, lack of support, disrespect, poor service, or a breach of rights in any DFFH service.
What types of complaints can you make?
You can make a complaint about:
Child Protection:
- Decisions made by child protection that you believe were not properly explained or justified.
- Concerns that child protection did not respond appropriately to reports or information.
- You feel you were not given enough information or were not involved in decisions.
- You feel you were not treated with respect or dignity.
- You were denied respect, dignity or privacy.
- Concerns about how case plans or support plans are being implemented.
Out-of-Home Care (foster, kinship, residential):
- Concerns about a child or young person’s safety or wellbeing while in care.
- Concerns about how a child’s cultural identity or cultural needs are being supported.
- Concerns about how family contact arrangements are being managed.
- Concerns about how staff or carers are delivering the agreed care and support.
- Concerns about supports or services that were expected but not provided.
Disability Services funded or provided by DFFH:
- You can complain if you do not feel safe, are hurt, or feel you are not being treated fairly in a disability service.
- Concerns about how behaviour supports or restrictions are used in a disability service.
- You feel you have not been given enough information or choice about your supports.
- Services are unsafe, unclean, or not meeting basic needs.
- Personal information is shared without consent.
- You are worried about how your money or property is being managed within a DFFH-funded disability service.
- You believe a disability service has been stopped or refused in a way you feel is unfair.
- You are worried about how staff respond when you raise concerns or make a complaint.
Supported Accommodation (group homes, supported housing, SRS):
- Residents feel unsafe or are being hurt or treated unfairly.
- Living conditions are unsafe, dirty, or poorly maintained.
- The level of care or supervision you were told you would receive is not being provided.
- You have concerns about how your tenancy is being managed in DFFH or DFFH-funded housing, including transfers, notices or how your privacy is respected.
Family Services (parenting support, counselling, Orange Door referrals):
- Little or no help is provided.
- You feel staff have not treated you with respect, dignity or cultural sensitivity.
- You are excluded from planning or not given clear information.
- Your family’s privacy is breached.
- You are refused access to a DFFH-funded service and you are not satisfied with the reasons given.
Youth Services (programs, mentoring, youth homelessness):
- Young people feel they have not been treated with respect or dignity by staff.
- Environments are unsafe (e.g. bullying or violence not addressed).
- Agreed or expected supports (for example casework, training or counselling) are not provided.
- A young person’s voice is ignored in decisions about them.
- A young person’s privacy is breached.
Family Violence Services (e.g. refuges, Orange Door, behaviour change programs):
- You don’t feel safe, believed, or supported.
- Your privacy is breached, putting you at risk.
- You are refused or delayed in accessing a family violence service and you are not satisfied with the response.
- You feel staff responses are not respectful, trauma-informed or supportive.
- Referrals or supports you were told you would receive are not followed up.
Public Housing (Homes Victoria):
- You are not satisfied with how your housing application, transfer, or eviction has been handled.
- You feel housing staff have not treated you with respect or dignity.
- If you have already used the Housing Call Centre process for maintenance and are not satisfied with the response, you can complain to DFFH about how your matter has been handled.
- You are not satisfied with how the department has responded to serious safety or behaviour issues affecting your public housing.
- You are concerned about how your privacy and tenancy have been handled by Homes Victoria or DFFH.
Homelessness Services:
- You are turned away or denied help and you are not satisfied with the reasons given.
- You feel staff have not treated you with respect and dignity.
- Emergency accommodation is unsafe or unsanitary.
- You are not satisfied with the follow-up or ongoing support you receive after crisis help.
- Your disability, language, cultural or other needs are not taken into account.
Other DFFH-funded programs:
- You are not satisfied with the service you receive from a DFFH-funded program for seniors, veterans, multicultural communities, carers or other groups.
- You believe you have been refused access to a DFFH or DFFH-funded service and are not satisfied with the reasons.
- Program rules or benefits are not followed.
- You are not told your rights or how to complain.
Jurisdiction:
DFFH looks at complaints about services it provides or funds.
Time Limits:
It is best to complain as soon as possible after the issue happens.
Who can you make a complaint against?
You can make a complaint against:
- DFFH staff or DFFH-funded service providers delivering services.
- Organisations funded by DFFH to deliver services.
- Specific facilities or programs (group homes, family support centres, public housing).
Are you eligible to make a complaint?
Who can make a complaint?
You can make a complaint yourself, or someone else can complain on your behalf. Children and young people can complain in their own right.
Before you lodge a complaint:
Before reaching out to DFFH, try raising your complaint with the service provider first.
Can you complain on behalf of someone else?
Yes, you can make a complaint for another person for example as a family, guardian or advocate.
Additional Information:
You can use an interpreter or support person.
What can this body do to help?
This body may:
- DFFH may look into your complaint and explain available review options.
- DFFH will look into your complaint and respond.
- DFFH may provide information about other organisations that can help.
How to prepare your complaint:
Personal details:
Provide your name, contact details, relationship if complaining on behalf of another person.
Respondent’s details
Provide name and details of who or what you’re complaining about (staff, service, program).
Relevant facts:
Provide details about what happened, with supporting documents if you have any, and what result you would like to achieve.
Lodging your complaint and next steps:
Where to lodge:
- Online: Using the DFFH Complaint Form here
- Email: feedback@dffh.vic.gov.au
- Post: Complaints Unit, GPO Box 4057, Melbourne VIC 3000
- Phone: the department’s Feedback Service can be reached on 1300 884 706
Receipt and Acknowledgement:
You will receive an automated email after lodging the online form.
Assessment & Investigation:
They aim to resolve most complaints within 10 business days, and more complex matters may take around 20 business days.
