Monitor community services
We promote and protect the rights and best interests of people using community services in NSW. We achieve this by handling and resolving complaints about these services. We also monitor and review the delivery of community services.
We carry out this role under the Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and Monitoring) Act 1993 (CS CRAMA), and the Ombudsman Act 1974.
What community services do we cover?
We cover any services provided by:
- the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ)
- organisations funded, licensed or authorised by the Minister for Families and Communities, and Minister for Seniors, including:
- assisted boarding houses
- child protection and out-of-home care services, including foster care
- early intervention services
- refuges for young people, women, families and men
- neighbourhood and family support services.
What can we do?
Under CS CRAMA, we have a broad range of functions in relation to community services. As part of these functions we:
- handle complaints, and look at ways to improve how service providers resolve complaints
- review the situation of an individual, or a group of people, in care
- review the causes and patterns of the deaths of certain children; and look at ways to stop or reduce preventable deaths
- monitor and review the delivery of community services
- make recommendations to improve the delivery of services and to promote the rights and best interests of service receivers
- inquire into matters affecting services and people eligible to receive community services
- promote and assist in the development of standards for the delivery of community services
- educate people and services about community service standards
- promote access to advocacy support for people receiving services. This is to ensure adequate participation in decision-making about those services.
We produce reports about our work as part of these functions. See Find a publication for past reports about community services.
We also convene the Child Death Review Team.