Official Visitors Scheme (OVS)

The ACT has Official Visitors for Children and Young People, Mental Health, Corrections, Disability and Housing (Homelessness) who visit entitled persons in visitable places.

The Official Visitor for Disability Services (OVDS) provides a way to monitor the quality of services received by people accessing disability services in the ACT. The aim of the OVDS is to improve service quality and create better outcomes for people with disability and their families. The OVDS is part of the ACT Official Visitor Scheme and complements other safeguards in place for people with disability by providing an avenue for resolution of complaints in a proactive manner and by facilitating a forum to discuss and address personal concerns.

The objective of the scheme is to detect and prevent systemic dysfunction in the specified environments. Official Visitors achieve this by visiting visitable places, talking to entitled persons, inspecting records, reporting on the standard of facilities and reporting to the operational Minister and other public authorities. Official Visitors also fulfil a more direct and informal function within their respective environments by resolving grievances and lesser issues.

A visitable place is:

A Territory operated disability accommodation for respite or long term residential purposes, and includes the ability for the Disability Official Visitors to visit aged care facilities where younger people with disabilities reside.

To arrange a visit, phone 1800 150 035 or complete this online contact form to leave a message for the relevant Official Visitor. 

 

Woman with glasses smiling TEXT Meet Mary - Your Official Visitor for People with Disability in Canberra. She can visit to make sure you are safe and receiving good support. 

 

Further information

Official Visitor Scheme Website:

"Offical Visitors help safeguard people with disability" - Media release: Minister for Disability Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA

Meet Mary and Narelle video

 

For relevant legislation: