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You can tell us when something works, when it does not, or when you feel worried or unsafe. Making a complaint is free. You do not need to prove what happened before raising a concern, and you will not be treated unfairly for speaking up.
Email Their Path Youth Services at alex@theirpathyouthservices.com.au, speak with the facilitator during an agreed meeting or session, or ask a trusted person to help you. Children can speak, write, draw or use their usual communication support. You can ask to discuss the details privately. You can also raise a concern anonymously, although we may not be able to give updates without a way to contact you.
Keep the first email general. We will discuss the details you want to share, what you would like to happen and any communication support you need. We aim to acknowledge complaints within three business days, give an update at least every ten business days while a matter remains open, and resolve matters within twenty business days where possible. If more time is needed, we will explain why and give the next update date. You can ask for a written response explaining the outcome and reasons.
If the concern is about the facilitator or business owner
If the concern is about the facilitator, business owner or person handling the complaint, you can go directly to the host's named safeguarding or complaints contact, a trusted adult or advocate, or an appropriate external authority. Our own reconsideration is not an independent review. Some external processes for ordinary privacy or consumer disputes ask you to complain to the business first; those steps are explained below.
If you are unhappy with a response, you can explain what remains unresolved and ask Their Path Youth Services to reconsider, or use an appropriate external route. You do not need our permission to seek external advice or make a safeguarding report. A child's safety concern does not have to wait for our complaint process.
Safety and external help
If someone is in immediate danger, call 000. Our inbox is not an emergency service.
For concerns that a child may be experiencing abuse or neglect, use Queensland Government's reporting-child-abuse information to find the appropriate Child Safety contact. Concerns involving a possible crime can be raised with police.
Different external organisations deal with different issues:
- NDIS-funded supports: you can raise concerns about the quality or safety of NDIS-funded services directly with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, including concerns about an unregistered provider. You do not need our permission or to complete our internal process first.
- Privacy: the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner's complaint guidance explains its process and jurisdiction. It normally asks you to complain to the organisation first. If you receive no response within 30 days, or are dissatisfied with the response, you can follow its lodgement guidance. Our service targets do not require you to wait longer than an external process requires.
- Child-safe organisations: use QFCC's Report a concern route for concerns about Child Safe Standards or reportable conduct within its role. It is not a general billing-dispute service.
- Consumer disputes: Queensland Office of Fair Trading's complaint steps explain raising the problem with the business and accessing online or paper complaints if it remains unresolved. The appropriate process depends on the matter.
These routes do not replace emergency help or reporting concerns that a child may be experiencing abuse or neglect. You can seek external advice without our permission.
We respect privacy when handling complaints and share information only as needed for the response, safety or legal obligations. We cannot promise secrecy where someone may be unsafe. We record the response and any changes needed to improve the service.