NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal

Guardianship


A guardianship order, with a woman pointing at herself with her hand raised on it

Sometimes we choose someone to be your guardian.

We call it a guardianship order.

A guardianship order with a cross on it

Guardianship orders don’t last forever.

Your guardian might make decisions about

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  • where you live
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  • what services you need and use
A doctor explaining a document to woman
  • what medical or dental treatment you need.

We can make only a guardianship order if you:

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  • are 16 years or older
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  • have a disability that affects how you make decisions.

Your guardian might be a:

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  • family member
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  • friend
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  • Public Guardian.

We choose the Public Guardian if your guardian can’t be your:

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  • family member
2 friends sitting together with a cross
  • friend.

When we decide who your guardian should be, we might choose:

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  • one person
3 women standing together
  • more than one person.
A woman frowning with thumbs down. She has a guardianship order with a cross next to her

We can’t make a guardianship order if we think you can make decisions on your own.

Reviewing your guardianship order

woman writing on clipboard. there is a review icon next to her with a magnifying glass on it.

When a guardianship order ends, we must review it.

2 images of the same woman - in one she is smiling with thumbs up, in the other she is frowning with thumbs down

When we review a guardianship order, we check to see what:

  • works well
  • needs to be better.
A woman raising her hand with a review document icon next to her

You can also ask us to review your guardianship order.

After we review a guardianship order, we might:

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  • make another guardianship order
Guardianship order with a change icon
  • change parts of the guardianship order
Guardianship order with a cross on it
  • end the guardianship order.
A man raising his hand to say something with a review document icon next to him

Anyone can ask for a review if they’re worried about someone who has a guardianship order.

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