SDN’s Policies
When you to sign an Agreement of Service with us you will have access to:

• SDN’s Complaints Management Policy
• SDN’s Privacy Policy
• SDN’s Child Protection and Wellbeing Policy
• SDN’s Fee Charging and Collection Policy for Children's Therapies
• SDN's Child Incident Injury, Trauma and Illness Policy.

Communication, feedback and complaints processes
We encourage regular communication with your key practitioner about your child and their progress. If you have any feedback or complaints about your service, we have a feedback and complaints process to follow. 

Feedback
You can provide feedback or make a complaint via our website by clicking here or by calling our SDN Family Engagement Team on 1300 831 445. Please let us know if you wish your complaint or feedback to be anonymous. You have the right to an advocate to support you to provide your feedback or make a complaint.

Complaints management 
SDN will resolve any complaints you may have fairly and effectively. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your key practitioner, call the SDN Family Engagement Team on 1300 831 445 or to submit your complaint online here. Please refer to SDN’s Complaints Management policy.

If you are unhappy with how SDN has managed your complaint, you can contact the NDIS Quality and Safeguard Commission on 1800 035 544.

You can also access information about advocacy services by visiting their website.

Privacy
SDN Children’s Services is committed to protecting the privacy of its children and families. The specific legal obligations we have when collecting and handling your personal information are outlined in the Privacy Act 1988, the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW), the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 and in particular in the Australian Privacy Principles and Health Privacy Principles found in those Acts. For more information please refer to SDN’s Privacy Policy.

Your child's safety and wellbeing
SDN is committed to safety and wellbeing. All of our staff require a Working with Children’s Check and clearance from the Office of the Children’s Guardian as well as NDIS Working Screening Checks before they start working with us. They are also required to renew these checks every 5 years.

As part of this commitment as well as our commitment to best practice, our practitioners do not provide services without a guardian or educator present. This allows us to build the capacity of the key people in the child’s life as well as ensures your child’s safety and wellbeing. 

SDN is required to report allegations of risk of significant harm to children to the NSW Department of Family and Community Services.

If during therapy your child is involved in an incident or injury we will document it on our incident form and you will receive a copy of the form regardless of whether you were with your child or, it was at an educational setting. All incidents are documented on a register that we monitor and review every quarter to improve our services.

If we receive allegations that a person working for SDN is causing harm to children we will investigate immediately and report the allegations to the NSW Ombudsman.

If the allegation of reportable conduct involves a child supported through SDN Children’s Therapies, we will notify the NDIS Commission (1800 035 544) within 24hrs as per NDIS Incident Management and Reportable Incidents Rules 2018.

Code of Conduct
SDN ensures all workers follow the NDIS Code of Conduct. You can find information about the code of Conduct here https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/about/ndis-code-conduct

In addition to the NDIS Code of Conduct, SDN also has standards of professional conduct that promote our values as an organisation.

Some key ones are:

• Keep children safe and support their wellbeing, behave honestly and with integrity and transparency.
• Treat everyone with respect and courtesy respecting individual rights of freedom of expression, self-determination, decision-making and privacy in accordance with relevant laws and conventions.
• Take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence, exploitation, neglect, and abuse.
• Promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that might have an impact on the quality and safety of supports provided to people with a disability.
• Respect and apply professional boundaries with parents and interested stakeholders.
• Comply with SDN policies and procedures and all applicable Australian laws.
• Avoid conflict of interest, report those that cannot be avoided and cooperate in their management.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality (in all forms of communication, including social media).
• Not provide false or misleading information.