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Your right to advocacy

All Community Care clients have the right to use an advocate.

Aged Care Services Community care workers Your responsibilites to Community Care Your right to advocacy Your right to make a complaint

The Australian Government has passed a new Aged Care Act, which comes into effect from 1 July 2025.

Find out more about what this means for in home community care services.


What is an advocate?

An advocate may provide information and advice in order to help you to take action to resolve any concerns, or may take a more active role in representing your rights to another person or organisation.

 

Who can be an advocate?

An advocate can be a family member, your main carer, legal representative, trusted friend or someone from an agency that provides advocacy services.

Your Service Coordinator or Care Management Officer at the City of Greater Geelong may be able to provide you with advocacy assistance or refer you to an agency that specialises in this service.

 

Why use an advocate?

It is important to be able to exercise your rights. An advocate can help make sure that you are not disadvantaged due to any disability, your age, gender, sexual preference or your cultural background.

 

When to use an advocate

There may be times when you feel it is hard to speak up for yourself so an advocate can help you:

  • to access services
  • to change services
  • making sure your services are right for you
  • communicate with service provider staff
  • negotiate a suitable resolution if there was a complaint or a dispute.

 

Advocacy agencies

Assert 4 AllPhone:03 5221 8011
ADEC (Action on Disability in Ethnic Communities)Phone:03 9480 7000 or
1800 626 078
Email:[email protected]
Elder Rights Advocacy (Victoria)Phone:03 9602 3066 or
1800 700 600
Free call in Victoria except from mobile phones
Email:[email protected]
Rights Information & Advocacy Centre Incorporated (RIAC)Phone:03 5222 5499
Email:[email protected]
Villamanta Disability Rights Legal ServicePhone:1800 014 111
(Information service relating to disability legal issues)
VALID (Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability)Phone:03 9416 4003 or
1800 655 570
(Rural Victoria only)
Email:[email protected]
Office of the Public AdvocatePhone:03 9603 9500 or
1300 309 337
TTY:1300 305 612
Migrant Resource CentrePhone:03 5221 6044
Email:[email protected]

Common Questions

We have a policy in place to protect your privacy.

Please view the your privacy information provided by the Department of Human Services for more information.  This information is available in English and many other community languages.

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