Concerns and Complaints Policy

St Anne’s Catholic School Policy

Where excellence is valued and the spirit of Jesus lives

Concerns and Complaints Policy

 

  • Rationale

 

    1. To meet the Board’s obligation to respond fairly to concerns and complaints with respect to all complainants and respondents.    
    2.  A concern is defined as an informal verbal complaint.
    3.  A complaint is defined as a formal written complaint.

 

  • Delegation

 

    1. The Board requires the Principal to develop systems for concerns/complaints and ensure these are available to all associated with the school with respect to all operations, activities and personnel and stakeholders of the school including students, parents, staff.
    2. The Board requires the Principal to allocate duties to support the systems in 2.1.
    3. Complaints should be directed to the Principal in the first instance who will liaise with the Board Chairperson and they shall work with each other as appropriate within the school concerns/complaints procedures and there being no conflict of interest involved.
    4. The Board will develop procedures with respect to complaints against it and the Principal.     
    5. The Board requires that 2.1, 2.2 and 2.4 be undertaken in compliance with all statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements and in accordance with the principles of natural justice and the Principal shall comply with NAG 3.
    6. The Board will only act formally on complaints, not concerns. The Board shall form a complaints/disciplinary sub-committee as the need arises.

 

  • Procedure

 

      1. The Board requires the Principal, in conjunction with the complaints /disciplinary sub-committee, to develop concerns/complaints procedures for this policy, and to table these for approval at the meeting following the enactment/review of the policy, or at any such other time as the Board determines.
      2. The procedures will meet all statutory, regulatory and contractual obligations of the Board in respect of these matters.  These include, but are not limited to:
        1. Health and Safety at work Act 2015
        2. Human Rights Act 1993
        3. State Sector Act
        4. Privacy Act
        5. Protected Disclosures Act
        6. National Administrative Guidelines for Schools
        7. The relevant Collective Employment Agreements applicable to staff concerned
        8. Any individual staff contracts
        9. Private Schools Conditional Integration Act 1975
        10. Education Act 1989
        11. Education Amendment Act 2015
        12. Vulnerable Children Act 2016
      3. The procedures will include provision for reporting to the Board and other agencies.
      4. Procedures will be developed in the following areas:
        1. Concerns/Complaints against staff
        2. Disciplinary procedures related to alleged staff misconduct, competency
        3. Protected disclosures
        4. Staff Code of Conduct/Ethics
        5. Concerns/Complaints by/against students, parent/caregivers, other persons

 

  • Accountability

 

    1. The Principal and/or Board Chairperson (as per 2.3 and 2.6 above) shall keep a written record of concerns and complaints received detailing circumstances, actions taken and outcomes achieved. These shall be reported to the Board, at its next meeting or any other such time as requested by the Board, on an In-Committee basis by the Principal, Board Chair or the Board’s complaints/disciplinary sub-committee as is appropriate.
  • Review
  1. The policy will be reviewed in accordance with the Board’s regular review process.

 

              This policy links to the school’s mission, values and strategic aims and NAG 3.

 

Ratified by St Anne’s Catholic School Board of Trustees

 

Date of meeting
Approval of policy