How we report &
respond to incidents

What counts as an incident

An incident is any event or circumstance that:

• Caused harm to a participant, worker, or member of the public
• Had the potential to cause harm (a ‘near miss’)
• Involved actions or omissions by us, our staff, or others connected to our service delivery
• Resulted in an unexpected deterioration in a participant’s wellbeing during or following supports

Incidents include, but aren’t limited to: injuries, falls, medication errors, challenging behaviour, property damage, allegations of abuse or neglect, worker conduct concerns, vehicle incidents, and missed shifts affecting safety.

Reportable incidents

Certain serious incidents must be reported to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission within specific timeframes. These are defined under the NDIS rules and include:

• The death of a participant
• Serious injury of a participant
• Abuse or neglect of a participant
• Unlawful sexual or physical contact with, or assault of, a participant
• Sexual misconduct committed against, or in the presence of, a participant — including grooming
• The use of a restrictive practice in relation to a participant, other than where the use is in accordance with an authorisation

Reportable incidents involving serious injury, abuse, neglect, sexual misconduct or unauthorised restrictive practices must be reported to the NDIS Commission within 24 hours of becoming aware. A full report must be submitted within 5 business days.

How incidents are reported internally

Anyone can raise an incident: participants, family members, workers, members of the public. We actively encourage early reporting — including of near-misses — because small signals often prevent bigger problems.

To report an incident:

• Phone: 0411 727 133 (urgent incidents — available in hours; after hours via the same number, redirected)
• Email: hello@anchoraim.com.au
• Through a support worker — they are trained to escalate incidents to the Director the same day
• Anonymously — we accept anonymous reports and will investigate what we can

Our response process

When an incident is reported, we follow a structured process:

1. Immediate response (within hours) — ensure safety, provide first aid or call emergency services if needed, remove any ongoing risk. Notify next of kin or authorised representative where appropriate.
2. Documentation (same day) — record the incident in our incident register with date, time, persons involved, what happened, immediate actions taken, and witnesses.
3. Assessment — determine whether this is a reportable incident under NDIS rules. If so, report to the NDIS Commission within 24 hours (or 5 business days for Class 2).
4. Investigation — speak with all involved parties, gather evidence, understand contributing factors. Complex investigations may take up to 4 weeks; simpler ones are resolved within 7 days.
5. Communication — keep the participant (and family / representative, where authorised) informed throughout. Provide clear information about what happened, findings, and corrective actions.
6. Corrective action — implement changes to prevent recurrence: training, procedure updates, staff changes where warranted.
7. Review & learning — incidents are reviewed quarterly to identify patterns and system-level improvements.

If the incident involves a worker

Where an incident involves worker conduct:

• The worker may be stood down immediately, pending investigation, where there is a safety or welfare concern
• We investigate fairly, giving the worker an opportunity to respond to concerns
• Where misconduct is found, we take appropriate disciplinary action up to and including termination
• Serious matters are reported to the NDIS Worker Screening Unit and, where a criminal offence may have occurred, to Victoria Police
• The participant is protected from any retaliation or negative impact on their supports during the process

Restrictive practices

Anchor & Aim does not use restrictive practices as part of our service model. Where a participant’s behaviour support plan authorises specific restrictive practices (e.g. through a Positive Behaviour Support Plan), we follow the authorised practice only. Any unauthorised use of a restrictive practice is a reportable incident.

Mandatory reporting to other authorities

In addition to the NDIS Commission, we report to other authorities where required by Australian law:

• Victoria Police — suspected criminal offences, including assault, sexual assault, theft, and financial abuse
• Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (Victoria) — where a child is at risk of harm
• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner — notifiable data breaches
• WorkSafe Victoria — serious workplace injuries affecting our workers

Participant involvement

When you’re the subject of an incident report, you have the right to:

• Be informed about what happened and how we’re responding
• Have a say in how the incident is handled
• Involve a family member, advocate, or support person
• Receive a copy of the final outcome
• Provide feedback on how the investigation was handled
• Continue receiving supports without any negative impact

Training & staff awareness

Every one of our support workers is trained in:

• What counts as an incident and what is reportable
• Immediate response procedures (first aid, de-escalation, emergency contacts)
• How to document an incident accurately
• Their duty to report concerns without fear of negative consequences (whistleblower protection)
• The NDIS Code of Conduct and its application

This training is refreshed annually.

Records & review

Incident records are maintained in our secure incident register and kept for a minimum of seven years, in line with NDIS rules and our Privacy Policy. De-identified incident data informs our quarterly quality reviews and improvement planning.

Related resources

• NDIS Commission — Reportable Incidents: ndiscommission.gov.au
• NDIS Worker Screening Unit (Vic): ndiswsu.vic.gov.au
• Victoria Police (non-emergency): 131 444
• Emergency services: 000