Help to make a complaint

The department supports people to communicate a concern or participate in the complaint process. We can assist parents, carers and students with a disability, including the deaf or hearing impaired and those with a speech impairment, and those who do not speak or understand English well. The department provides interpretation and translation services for individuals who require language support to effectively communicate their concerns or participate in the complaints process. This can include onsite, online, or telephone interpreting for meetings and interviews.

If you need another kind of support to make a complaint, please let us know and our staff will do their best to help you.

You may bring a friend, relative, or another suitable person to support you at meetings. Free advocacy services are also available to support people with disability and their families through the Disability Advocacy Futures Program. Support organisations are also available if you or a family member identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander through the local Aboriginal Education and Wellbeing team at the school’s local education office or through the local NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG).

A complainant can choose to have either a support person or an advocate present at a meeting related to a complaint. The complainant is responsible for arranging this support, but the complaint manager may suggest a support person or advocate if one has not been organized.

An advocate is authorised to speak and make decisions on behalf of the complainant to assist in reaching a resolution. A support person, while they may speak during a meeting, cannot speak on behalf of, advocate for, or make decisions for the complainant. Suitable support persons include individuals over the age of 18, such as employees, family members, friends, union representatives, or legal representatives. Support persons do not hold special rights or status in this role.

The department provides reasonable adjustments to support people to communicate a concern. Adjustments may be required to support people with disability or culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse communities. This may include interpretation and translation services or a meeting with a complainant to clarify and record the details of the concern. Adjustments may include changes to the physical environment, assistive technology and/or student engagement to ensure that they feel included and understand the complaint process requirements. The department may provide adjustments for parents, carers, family or community members to accommodate specific needs when raising or resolving a concern if it is fair and reasonable to do so.

Interpretation and translation services are available to support communication between the department and families who don’t speak English well, or who are deaf or speech impaired. Telephone interpreting is available for meetings with the department for languages other than English, some Aboriginal languages, and Auslan. The National Relay Service can assist a person who is deaf or has a speech impairment.

Our Easy Read guide explains with words and pictures how to make a complaint, give a compliment, or suggestion to our schools. The guide also contains information about supports available to make a complaint, including how support persons and advocates can assist.

Support persons and advocates

You may bring a friend, relative, or another suitable person to be your support at meetings. Free advocacy services are also available to support people with disability and their families through the Disability Advocacy Futures Program. Support organisations are also available if you or a family member identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander or have a language background other than English.

For more information about how others can assist you in making and progressing a complaint, see our guide about the role of support persons and advocates.

Interpreting and translation services

Information is available in many languages about:

• Making a complaint about NSW public schools
• How support persons and advocates can help you make a complaint

We can arrange onsite, online or telephone interpreting and translation services for meetings or interviews with a school or the Department of Education, if available - just ask beforehand.

Visit translated documents to search for more information about the department.

Support and Resources for Aboriginal Families

We recognise and value the learning that Aboriginal children bring with them from their homes and communities into the classroom, and want to work with families to support children in their learning. If you are worried about something that is happening at school, let us know as soon as you can. If we know about something early, we can work with you to find a solution. See our information for Aboriginal families about making a complaint.

When responding to a complaint, our schools are committed to:

• Being understanding and open to all Aboriginal communities
• Understanding that all families are different and, like all communities, these differences will affect family choices and practices
• Respecting Aboriginal ways of knowing and communication
• Being open to families, communities, Kinship groups and Elders being involved in the complaints process

We know that, sometimes, parents, carers and family would feel more comfortable talking with mob, or another Aboriginal person about what is happening. You can ask to speak to:

• The Aboriginal Education Officer (AEO), if the school has one.
• Someone in the local Aboriginal Education and Wellbeing Team, such as the Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer (ACLO) at the school’s local network office.
• If you would like to speak with an independent person who can talk on your behalf or support you through the complaint process, you can contact your local NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG). To find details of the Regional Committee for your area, go to the AECG website at https://www.aecg.nsw.edu.au

To find the details of a school’s network office, go to: Finding a Public School.