STA Rights & Advocacy
Know your rights during STA stays including quality standards, complaints processes, advocacy services, and how to ensure you receive safe, dignified accommodation and support.
Your Fundamental Rights During STA Stays
Understanding your rights ensures you receive quality support and can advocate for yourself when needed.
Right to Choice and Control
You have the right to make decisions about your accommodation, support, and daily activities
What This Means:
- Choose your STA provider and accommodation type
- Make decisions about your daily routine and activities
- Refuse support or services you don't want
- Change providers if you're not satisfied
- Have your preferences respected and accommodated
- Participate in planning your support
Examples in Practice:
- Choosing when to wake up and go to bed
- Deciding what activities to participate in
- Selecting your own clothing and personal items
- Having input into meal preferences
Right to Dignity and Respect
All support must be provided with dignity, respect for your privacy, and cultural sensitivity
What This Means:
- Be treated with courtesy and respect at all times
- Have your cultural, religious, and personal beliefs respected
- Receive support in a way that maintains your dignity
- Have your personal space and belongings respected
- Be spoken to appropriately and included in conversations
- Have your individual needs and preferences acknowledged
Examples in Practice:
- Staff knocking before entering your room
- Being addressed by your preferred name
- Having cultural dietary requirements met
- Receiving support without judgment or criticism
Right to Safety and Security
You have the right to feel safe and secure in your accommodation with appropriate protective measures
What This Means:
- Live in a safe, secure environment
- Be protected from abuse, neglect, and exploitation
- Have emergency procedures and safety plans in place
- Access appropriate medical care when needed
- Report safety concerns without fear of retaliation
- Have trained staff available to respond to emergencies
Examples in Practice:
- Secure locks on bedroom doors
- Emergency call systems available
- Staff trained in first aid and emergency response
- Clear evacuation procedures
Right to Privacy and Confidentiality
Your personal information, communications, and private spaces must be protected and respected
What This Means:
- Have your personal information kept confidential
- Privacy in your bedroom and personal spaces
- Confidential handling of medical and support information
- Right to private conversations and communications
- Control over who has access to your information
- Secure storage of your personal belongings
Examples in Practice:
- Medical information shared only with authorized people
- Private phone calls without staff listening
- Personal mail and packages handled confidentially
- Bedroom privacy respected by staff and other residents
Right to Quality Support
You have the right to receive high-quality, professional support that meets your individual needs
What This Means:
- Receive support from qualified, trained staff
- Have support provided according to your care plan
- Access appropriate equipment and resources
- Receive timely assistance when needed
- Have support adjusted based on your changing needs
- Access allied health and specialized services
Examples in Practice:
- Staff with current qualifications and training
- Support provided consistently according to your plan
- Access to mobility aids and assistive technology
- Prompt response to requests for assistance
Right to Feedback and Complaints
You can provide feedback, make complaints, and access advocacy without fear of negative consequences
What This Means:
- Make complaints about your accommodation or support
- Access independent advocacy services
- Provide feedback about services and staff
- Have complaints investigated and resolved
- No retaliation for making legitimate complaints
- Support to understand and exercise your rights
Examples in Practice:
- Formal complaint procedures available
- Access to independent advocates
- Regular opportunities to provide feedback
- Support to understand your rights
Quality Standards You Can Expect
NDIS registered providers must meet specific quality standards to ensure safe, appropriate accommodation and support.
- Clean, safe, and well-maintained facilities
- Accessible design and equipment where needed
- Appropriate heating, cooling, and ventilation
- Safe storage for personal belongings
- Adequate lighting and comfortable sleeping areas
- Regular cleaning and maintenance schedules
- Current qualifications and training
- Background checks and clearances
- Professional conduct and behavior
- Respectful communication and interaction
- Appropriate response to support needs
- Ongoing professional development
- Person-centered support planning
- Consistent and reliable service delivery
- Appropriate response times
- Medication management protocols
- Emergency response procedures
- Regular review and adjustment of support
- Comprehensive safety policies and procedures
- Regular safety audits and inspections
- Emergency evacuation plans
- Incident reporting and management
- Risk assessment and management
- Safe handling of personal information
How to Make a Complaint
If you're not satisfied with your STA accommodation or support, you have the right to make a complaint and get it resolved.
Try to Resolve Directly
First, try to resolve the issue directly with the accommodation provider
Action Steps:
- Speak with staff or manager about your concerns
- Document the issue and any conversations
- Give the provider opportunity to resolve the problem
- Set reasonable timeframes for resolution
- Keep records of all communications
When to Use:
For minor issues or misunderstandings that can be quickly resolved
Formal Complaint to Provider
If direct resolution doesn't work, make a formal written complaint
Action Steps:
- Write formal complaint outlining the issues
- Include specific details, dates, and impacts
- Request specific actions or outcomes
- Submit through provider's complaint process
- Keep copies of all documentation
When to Use:
When direct approaches haven't resolved the issue or for more serious concerns
NDIS Quality Commission
Contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission if issues remain unresolved
Action Steps:
- Contact the Commission by phone or online
- Provide details of the issue and provider response
- Cooperate with any investigation process
- Continue to document ongoing issues
- Follow up on investigation outcomes
When to Use:
For serious issues, provider failures, or unresolved complaints
Access Advocacy Support
Get independent advocacy support to help navigate the complaints process
Action Steps:
- Contact disability advocacy services
- Explain your situation and support needs
- Work with advocates to develop strategy
- Use advocacy support in meetings and processes
- Get help understanding your rights and options
When to Use:
When you need independent support or feel overwhelmed by the process
Advocacy Services and Support
Independent advocacy services can help you understand your rights, navigate complaints processes, and ensure you receive quality support.
National network connecting people to local advocacy services
Services Provided:
- Systemic advocacy for disability rights
- Connections to local advocacy services
- Information about advocacy options
- Resources for self-advocacy
Best for: Finding local advocacy services and understanding advocacy options
Government-funded advocacy services across Australia
Services Provided:
- Individual advocacy support
- Legal advocacy assistance
- Systemic advocacy for system changes
- Self-advocacy training and support
Best for: Accessing government-funded advocacy services in your area
Official complaints and quality oversight body for NDIS services
Services Provided:
- Complaint investigation and resolution
- Provider registration and monitoring
- Quality and safety oversight
- Information about your rights
Best for: Formal complaints about NDIS providers and services
State-based disability services and advocacy support
Services Provided:
- State-specific advocacy services
- Community visitor programs
- Disability rights information
- Local support and resources
Best for: State-specific advocacy and local disability support services
Red Flags to Watch For
Be aware of these warning signs that may indicate poor quality accommodation or potential rights violations.
- Staff speaking rudely or dismissively
- Not respecting your privacy or personal space
- Ignoring your requests or preferences
- Making decisions without consulting you
- Inappropriate personal relationships with residents
- Staff appearing under the influence of substances
- Unsafe or unsanitary conditions
- Broken safety equipment or systems
- Inadequate food or nutrition
- Inappropriate temperature control
- Lack of privacy or security
- Poor maintenance and cleanliness
- Support not provided according to your plan
- Medication errors or poor management
- Delayed response to requests for help
- Lack of qualified or trained staff
- No emergency procedures or planning
- Pressure to accept unwanted services
- Not being allowed to make choices
- Discrimination based on disability, culture, or beliefs
- Financial exploitation or inappropriate charges
- Restriction of visitors or communications
- Retaliation for complaints or feedback
- Denial of access to advocacy services
Immediate Actions:
- Document what you observe
- Speak up about your concerns
- Contact support coordinator if available
- Call NDIS Commission if serious: 1800 035 544
Get Support:
- Contact advocacy services
- Tell trusted family or friends
- Keep records of incidents
- Know your right to leave if unsafe
Key Contact Information
Save these important contact numbers for complaints, advocacy, and emergency situations.
For complaints and quality concerns
Find local advocacy services
www.disabilityadvocacyfinder.dss.gov.au