1800 464 800
1800 464 800

The National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline

The National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline (The Hotline), is a free, independent and confidential service for reporting abuse and neglect of people with disability.

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The National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline is free, independent and confidential.
If you have experienced or witnessed someone with disability being hurt,
treated badly, or neglected, you can report it.
Abuse and neglect comes in many forms.
This can be physical, mental, financial, sexual, or involve a failure of care.
The Hotline can work with you to find ways to deal with your report of abuse and neglect,
through referrals, information and support.
Anyone can contact the Hotline, whether you are a person with disability,
a family member, a friend, or a service provider.
The Hotline is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm.
The Hotline is here to help keep people with disability safe.
To make a report, call the Hotline on 1800 880 052 or visit the website for more information.

Anyone can contact the Hotline, including family members, friends, service providers or a person with disability.

The Hotline works with callers to find appropriate ways of dealing with reports of abuse and neglect of people with disability.

The Hotline will encourage the notifier to seek advocacy support if needed.

To make a report, contact the Hotline on 1800 880 052 or send an email to: hotline@workfocus.com.

The Hotline is not a crisis service. In case of life threatening situations call 000 for attendance by Ambulance, Fire or Police services. If you think a crime has been committed or is being committed, contact your local police.

Emergency contact services
What is abuse and neglect
Vision Statement of the Hotline

Help using the service

The Hotline staff who answer calls understand disability, are sensitive to the needs of people with disability and are aware of issues in the disability sector. In some instances, they will be able to provide immediate advice to callers.

Advocacy services can also be arranged for callers with disability who need help to report an allegation.

When you call the hotline you will be asked for permission to report:

  • Your name, address and age
  • Some information about the service or situation where the abuse or neglect is happening, or has happened
  • The name of the person or persons responsible for the abuse or neglect
  • The name, age and address of the person being abused or neglected.

You will also need to give permission for the Hotline to pass information on to other organisations who can investigate your report.

Please note, the Hotline does not record phone calls, however they do take notes to ensure accuracy.

Making a report

The Hotline is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) and Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time (AEDST), excluding Australian national public holidays.
To make a report:

What happens after a report is made?

Abuse and neglect of people with disability is not acceptable in our community. The Hotline works with callers to find appropriate ways of dealing with reports of abuse or neglect through referral, information and support.

The Hotline will remain impartial – and does not take sides and does not advocate on anyone’s behalf.

If a caller reports abuse or neglect in a government-funded service, the Hotline will refer the report to the government body that funds the service. The funding body will investigate the report.

Types of government-funded services used by people with disability include open or supported employment, accommodation, community services, and respite care services.

If a caller reports abuse or neglect in any other situation, the Hotline will refer the report to an agency able to investigate or address the report e.g. an ombudsman or complaints-handling body.

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

The Hotline cannot assist with NDIS complaints. However, if you require assistance lodging a complaint with the NDIS, you can contact the Hotline and they can assist with a referral.

The Hotline assists with referrals to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission for NDIS complaints.

The Hotline also assists with referrals to the NSW Ageing and Disability Commissioner for domestic complaints within New South Wales (NSW), and referrals to the SA Adult Safeguarding Unit for domestic complaints within South Australia.

Complaints about the Hotline

Contact Department of Social Services (DSS) Complaints – 1800 634 035 if you want to complain about the service you have received from the National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline.

Fact Sheets

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