Complaint Resolution

Regional office role and responsibilities

Regional office role

The role of the regional office is to assist schools and complainants in the complaint handling process.

The regional office provides support to schools by:

• responding to complaints, when requested by the principal
• finding relevant and accurate information about policy and processes and linking schools with subject matter experts who can provide expert advice when required
• suggesting alternative dispute resolution methods when relevant and appropriate.

The regional office provides support to complainants seeking to make a complaint about the school when any of the following apply:

• an agreement has not been reached between the school and the complainant, and the school or complainant request assistance to resolve the complaint
• he complainant does not feel comfortable raising the complaint with the school
• the subject of the complaint relates to department policy or circumstances which are not within the school’s control
• the complaint is about the principal of a school, and the complainant does not want to raise it directly with that person.

Regional office responsibilities

Regional complaint handling officer handling the complaint

When a complaint is raised, the regional complaint handling officer must:

• acknowledge receipt of a verbal or written complaint in a timely manner
• explain the department’s complaints process to the complainant, and confirm and clarify an overview of the problem
• assist with initiating discussions with the school if the complainant has not raised the issue with the school
• advise the complainant how the complaint will be addressed and provide an indicative time for resolution (30 school days, noting complex complaints may take longer).

The regional complaint handling officer must:

• speak to the school to get a full understanding of the problem, and discuss further options to help resolve the matter
• seek advice from other department staff and/or external agencies to determine if other avenues of appeal/redress exist (as required)
• discuss the issues and suggestions to resolve the complaint with the regional managers and executives, when it is clear that the complainant is not likely to accept the outcome, to ensure the best possible interventions are applied in the early stages of complaint resolution. For example, mediation or other alternative dispute resolution options, or referral to the Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution
• consider any complex needs of the student or complainant, such as disability, to determine if additional specialist staff in the region need to be consulted
• set clear expectations with the complainant and the school about when to expect updates on the progress of the complaint resolution process
• support complainants and school staff in the complaint process by providing appropriate or additional supports
• provide updates and information to the complainant as appropriate to the situation
• maintain accurate records of all discussions, actions taken, and decisions
• communicate to the complainant the steps taken or intended to be taken by the school, region and the complainant (as necessary), while being careful not to divulge information in relation to another student, family, or staff member.

If a complainant indicates they will not accept the outcome of the complaint, the regional complaint handling officer will consult with the executive director for the area to re-consider whether additional interventions or actions can be taken to resolve the complaint. If no further interventions or actions are identified, or any identified actions/interventions are not successful in resolving the complaint, the regional complaint handling officer will:

• discuss the final regional outcome with the complainant
• inform the complainant of the next step in the complaint process, which is to request a Central Office Review by calling the department’s contact centre on 1800 338 663 or emailing enquiries@education.vic.gov.au