At LawAccess NSW we are committed to working with other services to enhance the delivery of legal information, advice and assistance to the people of New South Wales.
One of the ways we do this is to establish Referral Agreements with Assistance Services that sets out the services that are offered and the customers you can help.
What is an Assistance Service?
“Assistance Services” are organisations that accept the referral of LawAccess NSW customers. Assistance Services include:
- government organisations,
- community legal centres,
- private sector organisations,
- court and tribunal registries,
- alternative dispute resolution services,
- not-for-profit organisations, and
- human services organisations.
What is a Referral Agreement?
We aim to ensure that every referral made to an Assistance Service is accurate and appropriate based on the criteria provided.
To make sure we understand the criteria used by Assistance Services, we set this out in a written Referral Agreement.
What Assistance Services can expect?
As part of our commitment to Assistance Services we undertake to:
- treat all our customers in a timely, efficient and professional manner,
- comply with our Agreement with your service,
- inform customers about the availability of your services,
- not refer customers to your service if it is not appropriate,
- inform customers if we can’t find an appropriate and free assistance service,
- not make any undertakings to the customer about the ability of your service to provide assistance,
- observe the confidentiality of information exchanged between LawAccess NSW and your service,
- stop referring customers to your service when you ask us to,
- provide you with regular reports on the number of referrals made to your service,
- update the LawAccess NSW referral database within seven (7) days of your sending us a change to your referral criteria.
How can we work together?
Our aim is to work cooperatively with assistance services as set out in our Service Charter and the Referral Agreement. To do this we ask assistance services to:
- treat all customers we refer to your service in a timely, efficient and professional manner,
- comply with our Agreement with your service,
- not make any undertakings to the customer regarding the ability of LawAccess NSW to provide assistance or legal advice,
- provide LawAccess NSW with the information requested in the Referral Agreement,
- if a customer is referred to your service and you can’t help, refer the customer on to an appropriate assistance service for their needs and report this to LawAccess NSW,
- observe the confidentiality of information exchanged between LawAccess NSW and your service,
- tell LawAccess NSW about any changes to your service details and provide updated information about your service every six months,
- consult with LawAccess NSW about the use of the LawAccess NSW number and/or website address in any publications or recorded messages, and
- help LawAccess NSW by providing training and/or information to its staff on the operation of your service.
How Assistance Services can provide feedback
If you want to:
- obtain a copy of the Referral Agreement,
- discuss an existing or proposed Referral Agreement,
- update your referral criteria,
- make a comment, compliment, suggestion or complaint about our services,
you can ring or write to LawAccess NSW. The contact details are:
Service Development Manager
LawAccess NSW
PO Box 620
PARRAMATTA NSW 2124
Telephone (02) 8833 3131
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