Complaint Resolution

Central office role and responsibilities

Central office role

The Complaints and Improvement Unit (CIU) handles complaints requests that come through to the central office. The role of the Complaints Improvement Unit is to:

• assist regions and schools in the complaint handling process and provide support to schools and the regions in responding to complaints
• assist schools and regions to consider alternative dispute resolution methods for early resolution of complaints
• receive requests from complainants seeking a Central Office Review subsequent to the region’s finalisation of a complaint with regional executive endorsement
• assess eligibility of incoming requests for Central Office Review
• undertake Central Office Reviews of eligible matters
• provide policy advice and support to schools, complainants, and department staff (regional and central)
• provide advice and support regarding the complaint management operating procedures
• liaise with and propose referrals of suitable matters to the Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution
• receive and manage requests from the Victorian Ombudsman as it relates to the handling of complaints about Victorian government schools.

Central office responsibilities

When a request for a Central Office Review is received, the Complaints and Improvement Unit will review the request within 10 school days, where possible, to determine if it meets the following eligibility criteria for a Central Office Review:

• complainant must be a student, parent, or carer, or their representative (community member complaints are not eligible for Central Office Review)
• region has responded to, and closed, the complaint with regional executive endorsement of the outcome
• request has been submitted within 30 days of the region’s closure of the complaint (out of time requests may be considered in exceptional circumstances)
• complainant has explained why they believe the school and/or the region made an error in relation to implementation of policy, providing evidence in support of the belief.

If a Central Office Review is not accepted the CIU will:

• respond to the complainant to advise that their request for a Central Office Review has not been accepted, citing reason/s it is not deemed eligible
• explain that this finalises the department’s response to their complaint
• advise the complainant that they may contact the Victorian Ombudsman, or other agency as appropriate, if they remain dissatisfied with the decision.

If a Central Office Review request is accepted, the CIU will:

• notify the regional executive director for the area, regional complaint handling officer, and school principal that a Central Office Review is being undertaken, and advise them of what is expected of them in the process
• provide the complainant, executive director for the area, and school with periodic updates as to the progress of the Central Office Review
• consider whether the complainant and the school may be able to restore a workable resolution and restore the relationship by referring the complaint to the Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution, if the matter has not previously been referred
• aim to provide a written response to the complainant, Executive Director for the Area, and school about the outcome of the Central Office Review within 60 school days of accepting a request for Central Office Review, noting that more complex complaints may take longer.