Complaints processes

There are many actions schools may use to address this standard. To get started, review the example actions on this page.

Talk to families and students when developing these policies if it is safe, reasonable and appropriate to do so.

Schools can use these templates to develop the policies:

All schools

• Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy template (DOCX, 448KB)

Government schools

Government schools should follow complaints processes established by the department.

• Child Safety Responding and Reporting Obligations (including Mandatory Reporting) Policy and Procedures template (login required)
• Complaints Policy template (login required)

Use this checklist to make sure your school is doing everything required to comply with this standard:

• Government schools: Child Safety Action List (DOCX, 110KB)
• Non-government schools: Child Safety Action List (DOCX, 385KB)

Schools must review their child safety and wellbeing policies:

• after any significant child safety incident
• at least once every 2 years.

• Encourage students to raise concerns with a trusted adult if anything makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
• Facilitate student discussions about what would help them speak up when they have concerns.
• Ask students about their experiences making complaints. Act on feedback from students in your policies and the complaints process.
• Make sure it is easy for students, families, staff and volunteers to access and understand the complaints process. Host the school's Complaints Policy on a public-facing website and make physical copies available from the school. Include information about how to make a complaint in the school welcome pack.
• Include information to students and their families about:
  • how to make a complaint
  • what to expect the school to do when responding to a complaint
  • how the school will support complainants.
• Support students to develop the skills to make complaints and raise concerns by implementing the whole school approach to Respectful Relationships. Use teaching and learning materials like the Resilience Rights and Respectful Relationships materials.
• Let students know that they can make a complaint about any kind of harm, perpetrated at school, outside school, by an adult or by other children. Harm includes bullying or cyberbullying and all forms of abuse.
• Advertise assistance and support services for students, families, staff and volunteers who wish to raise concerns, including the availability of translating and interpreting services.
• Receive complaints thoughtfully, taking care to validate students' experiences – what may seem small to an adult might not be to a child.
• Ensure complaint handling systems and processes are confidential. Ensure that only authorised staff can access complaint records.
• Commit to making improvements following a complaint to address the source of the problem. Follow through on the commitment.
• Provide feedback mechanisms that allow for anonymity, such as secure suggestions boxes. Regularly review and action the suggestions received.

• Name multiple people or positions that students and families can approach to raise concerns.
• Be transparent and open about the steps in the complaints process.
• Let students know that they can bring a support person of their choice to any interviews or meetings related to the complaint.
• Explain what happens next and check that complainants understand the proposed action.
• Ensure that students understand who will be told about their complaints.
• Report back to complainants to close the loop, where appropriate.
• Offer counselling or support services to complainants as appropriate.
• Refer to the National Office for Child Safety Complaint Handling Guide for processes.

• Set out actions when the complaint is about a staff member, volunteer, parent or another adult. Actions should in line with the school's Complaints Policy, the PROTECT Four Critical Actions and Reportable Conduct obligations.
• Set out approaches for responding to harm caused to children by other children. This includes children displaying potentially harmful sexual behaviours and sexual offending.
• Display the PROTECT Four Critical Actions poster (PDF, 215KB) in the staff room.
• Specify the steps that need to be taken to make sure the process is fair for all people involved in a complaint.
• Name the types of behaviour that must be reported to police, child protection authorities and other government agencies or regulatory bodies in line with PROTECT Identifying and Responding to All Forms of Abuse (PDF, 7.5MB).

• Outline the responsibilities school leaders have to act on complaints and concerns related to child safety and wellbeing, including the responsibilities of the child safety champions. Nominated staff should have:
  • a detailed understanding of the complaints process
  • investigative or interviewing skills, or authorisation to engage people with these skills
  • high levels of rapport and engagement with students
  • ability to respond to students with diverse needs
  • willingness to work with police and child protection authorities
  • information on support services for people affected by complaints.
• Ensure that child safe supervision and people management practices are implemented during and following a complaint or concern relating to the conduct of a staff member (refer to Standard 6).
• Train staff and volunteers to recognise the different ways students express concerns or distress, such as changing their behaviours or demeanour.
• Encourage staff to maintain an approachable, professional standard to help students feel confident and supported to raise issues at any time.
• Ensure staff and volunteers understand the complaints policy, the Four Critical Actions, failure to report and failure to protect offences, grooming, child abuse and family violence, mandatory reporting and their roles in the process.
• Empower all staff and volunteers to act on concerns about behaviour and report their concerns, complaints or breaches of the Child Safety Code of Conduct to school leadership or the regional office.
• Make sure that the school meets all recordkeeping, information sharing, privacy and employment law obligations.
• Encourage staff and volunteers to contribute to the development and review of complaints policies and processes.

• Government Schools Complaints Policy
• Information Sharing and Family Violence Reforms Contextualised Guidance and Toolkit
• Privacy and Information Sharing Policy
• PROTECT: Four Critical Actions
• PROTECT: Identifying and Responding to Student Sexual Offending (PDF, 7.5MB)
• PROTECT: Identifying and responding to all forms of abuse in Victorian schools (PDF, 2.9MB)
• Reporting and Managing School Incidents (including emergencies): Policy | education.vic.gov.au
• Responding to Student Sexual Offending: Principal Checklist (PDF, 135KB)
• Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy
• Student Sexual Offending and Problem Sexual Behaviour

• PROTECT: Four Critical Actions
• Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority – Child Safe Standards
• Catholic Education Commission of Victoria – Child Safety
• Independent Schools Victoria

• Make a complaint about your school
• Conflict coaching initiative (login required)

• Australian Human Rights Commission e-learning series
• National Office for Child Safety: Complaint Handling Guide: Upholding the rights of children and young people
• Commission for Children and Young People: Empowerment and participation - A guide for organisations working with children and young people (PDF, 7.5MB)
• National Office for Child Safety: Speak up and make a complaint resources