5 Effective Tips for Communicating with People Who Have Complex Communication Needs
Learning how to communicate effectively with someone who has complex communication needs is crucial for helping them feel understood and supported.
At OC Connections, we are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and transparent environment for all stakeholders. Our organisational policies reflect our dedication to upholding the highest standards in various critical areas, such as privacy, health, safety, diversity, and continuous improvement.
Our policies embody our values, ensuring that OC Connections remains a trusted and responsible not-for-profit organisation.
Click on each policy to delve deeper into our commitment to excellence in these key areas.
A complaint can be about:
Complaints are an opportunity:
OC Connections embraces your feedback as one of the most effective ways of enhancing individual outcomes and improving the services provided across the organisation.
If you have a complaint or a concern, or positive feedback about anything to do with OC Connections services please let us know. Your feedback can lead to improved supports and services, communication and sometimes changes to policies and the way services are delivered.
Many complaints can be fixed by speaking directly with the relevant staff or manager. You can make a complaint in person, online, on the phone or in writing at any time.
All complaints will be handled in a sensitive and confidential manner and we will try to resolve the issue promptly. OC Connections has a Feedback and Complaints Contact Person who can provide further information on this process and will be able to advise on progress with any particular issue that has been raised. There is a Complaints & Compliments Form that you can fill in and forward to either the Manager of the Department concerned or to the Feedback and Complaints Contact Person.
Please call 03 9569 0603 for a copy of the Feedback and Complaints Form or email the Quality and Risk Manager:
When handling complaints, OC Connections will:
If you make a complaint, you will be contacted by the most appropriate person (depending upon the nature of the complaint) and then receive a letter of acknowledgement within 2 business days. This will detail the steps to be taken to resolve the complaint you have raised if it has not been resolved already.
If you are not satisfied with the response, the complaint will be forwarded to the Chief Executive Officer for resolution. We will endeavour to resolve the complaint at the local level but if this is not satisfactory or you feel you are unable to raise it with anyone at OC Connections, the NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission may be able to assist.
Everyone is entitled to work in an ethical workplace free of harassment, bullying, corruption and illegal activities. That’s why OC Connections has introduced a new whistleblower notification process using the independent external provider, Stopline Pty Ltd.
This makes the process of whistleblowing easy, and streamlined, and notifications can be made anonymously. Using Stopline enables notifications to be effectively managed, information to be sought and investigations to be undertaken when necessary.
This service is effective as of 1 September 2023. Our full Whistleblower Protection Policy can be downloaded here. To lodge a submission to Stopline, click the button.
OC Connections is committed to protecting and upholding people’s right to privacy, dignity and confidentiality.
Our Privacy and Confidentiality policy is in line with the Australian Privacy Act 1988, Australian Privacy Principles (APP) and NDIS Practice Standards. To read the full policy, please click below.
OC Connections is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people.
OC Connections is committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives.
We have zero tolerance of child abuse, and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously and consistently with our policies and procedures.
We have legal and moral obligations to contact authorities when we are worried about a child’s safety, which we follow.
We support and respect all children, as well as our staff and volunteers. We are committed to the cultural safety of aboriginal children, the cultural safety of children from a culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and to providing a safe environment for children with a disability.
We have specific policies, procedures and training in place that support our leadership team, staff and volunteers to achieve these commitments.
At OC Connections our vision is to enable people to live the life they choose.
We value people for who they are, regardless of ethnicity, faith, age, disability, culture, language, gender identity or sexual orientation.
We acknowledge the Traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community.
We celebrate diversity and pledge to provide inclusive and non-discriminatory services.
As an organisation, we celebrate our diversity and welcome all people.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as Australia’s First Peoples and as the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work.
We welcome lesbian, gay, trans, gender diverse and intersex (LGBTIQ) people at our services.
Learning how to communicate effectively with someone who has complex communication needs is crucial for helping them feel understood and supported.
At OC Connections, we celebrate growth, empowerment, and the joy that comes from new opportunities and achieving goals! One of our most recent success stories
At OC Connections, we believe in recognising and celebrating the dedication of our employees who contribute to enriching the lives of the people we support.
We are proud to announce that 10 of our employees have successfully graduated from the Dual Diploma of Leadership & Management (BSB50420) and Competitive Systems
OC Connections acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional owners of this nation. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past, present and future.
OC Connections respects Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their contribution to our society.
Your generosity helps to support people with disability to live the life they choose.