Students and young people

What does the Ombudsman do?

The NSW Ombudsman encourages good conduct and fair decision making by government agencies and community services providers. We make sure that these agencies are doing the right thing by the NSW community, including young people. If you are unhappy about the way you have been treated by NSW government agencies or their employee, or non-government service providers or their employee, you can complain to us. Some examples of NSW government agencies and community service providers are:

NSW government departments & agencies, such as Department of Education and Training, Housing NSW, Corrective Services NSW
public authorities such as RTA, Sydney Buses, RailCorp
NSW Police Force
local councils
juvenile justice centres
area health services
universities and TAFE colleges
non-government schools and child care centres with respect to employment-related child protection matters
agencies provide substitute residential care
out-of-home care services
boarding houses
refuges.

Click on the link below to find out more about the types of agencies we take complaint about.

What you can complain to us about

Making a complaint

It is your right to make a complaint to the Ombudsman. You can:

complain on your own
ask someone to help you make a complaint
ask someone - friend, youth worker, your local MP - to make a complaint on your behalf
help someone else make a complaint.

Making a complaint is simple. You can:

call us to ask questions if you are not sure what to do
write to us and tell us about your concerns
fill out the form at the back of our youth brochure Got a complaint? and send it to us (no postal stamps needed)
use our online complaint form
come in to see us.

If you are writing a letter of complaint, tell us in your own words of what happened and include things like:

what happened and who was involved
when and where did the incident happen
names of witnesses (people who also saw the incident) if your know any
any evidence such as photos, papers, injuries, and doctor's certificates (it's OK if you do not have any of these things)
whether you have complained to anyone else before coming to us
what you want to get out of making the complaint
your contact details
date and sign your letter.

Remember, if you are unsure of what to do, give us a call on 02 9286 1000, or 1800 45 1524 if you are calling from outside of Sydney metropolitan areas.

Click on a link below to find out complaints about police, correctional centres and community services providers.

Tips to make complaining easier

When making a complaint it is important to:

trust yourself and your feelings about what has happened
tell someone who can help and support you
take action quickly so the problem can be fixed.

We understand that complaining can be scary so we want to help you overcome some of the barriers you may feel that are stopping you from complaining.

'What's the point? Nothing will change.'

If you don't tell anyone about your problem then nothing is going to change. If you are strong and stand up for your rights by telling someone about your problems, things can change, not just for you but for others as well.

When we receive a complaint, we make enquiries into the matter. We may try to sort out your complaint informally. We may also conduct a full investigation. If your complaint is justified, we recommend changes to fix the problem.

'They will find out I complained and then harass me.'

There are laws to protect you when you make a complaint. It is against the law to treat someone badly once they have complained. If this happens you need to tell us straight away so we can stop it.

There are many benefits of making complaints and telling someone about your problem. Complaints can:

increase the chance that you get a better outcome
help others in similar situations
identify problems and raise bigger issues
help improve service delivery
make you feel strong and in control of your life.

Remember, you have a right to good services. Nothing will change if you don't complain. And if the agencies don't listen to your concerns, tell us.

We have a Youth Liaison Office (YLO) who can give you advice about making a complaint. The YLO's role is to talk to youth workers and young people about the Ombudsman. The YLO also wants to speak to young people about problems they may have when dealing with NSW government agencies or community services.

Doing an assignment?

Are you doing an assignment and need information about the role and functions of the Ombudsman? We have a page specifically designed to help students learn about our office. Click on the link below to access the page.

Information for students

How do I contact the Ombudsman?

You can ring us on 02 9286 1000. Ask to speak to an inquiry officer, or the YLO.

If you are calling from outside of the Sydney Metro area, ring 1800 451 524 and pay the cost of a local call.

If you need language assistance, we can arrange an interpreter for you, or you can contact Telephone Interpreter Service (TIS) yourself before speaking to us. The contact number for TIS is 131 450.

You can also come to see us. Our address is:

Level 24, 580 George Street
Sydney NSW 2000

It's best to ring and make an appointment before you come in.

Other helpful information

There are many web sites that have been designed specifically for youth and contain a lot of useful information. Here are just some of them:

Anti Discrimination Board
CREATE – an advocacy body for kids in care
Kids Helpline
Lawstuff: know your rights
NSW Commission for Children and Young People
Youth Action & Policy Association (YAPA)
Youth NSW (NSW Government portal for youth)