The VIT may receive complaints about a teacher or from members of the community, including parents, students, a registered teacher’s colleagues, and other members of the public.
The complaints may consist of any of the following allegations about the teacher
- misconduct or serious misconduct
- being unfit to be a registered teacher
- serious incompetence
- impairments that seriously detrimentally affect the registered teacher’s ability to practise
- charges, convictions or findings of guilt for Category A offences or Category B offences
- Category C conduct
- Working with Children (WWC) interim exclusion or WWC exclusion (previously known as an interim negative notice or negative notice) by Working with Children Check Victoria (WWCCV), or
- disciplinary action taken by a person or body for whom the registered teacher undertakes work (including as a volunteer).
How are complaints handled by VIT?
If VIT receives a complaint about a registered teacher, it must conduct a preliminary assessment.
During the preliminary assessment, VIT may require further information from
- the registered teacher who is the subject of the complaint
- the person or body who made the complaint, and/or
- any person who may have information relevant to the complaint.
This additional information will help VIT understand the complaint and determine what further action may be required.
At the end of a preliminary assessment, VIT may decide to conduct an investigation. It may also decide to take other action. This may include
- suspending the registration of the teacher
- cancelling the registration of the teacher, or
- using the information to help assess a pending application for registration.
The VIT may also decide not to take any further action. This may occur if the
- complaint is frivolous, misconceived or lacking in substance
- person or body who made the complaint has not provided the further information that has been requested, or
- employer or another person has dealt adequately with the subject matter of the complaint.
How can I make a complaint about a teacher?
In many cases, concerns about a teacher can be resolved appropriately by first discussing them with their employer.
Before lodging a complaint with VIT, we encourage you to contact and speak with the
- principal or person in charge of the education setting
- governing body of the education setting, or
- authority that employs the teacher (for example, the Department of Education or the relevant Diocesan Director of Catholic Education).
If your complaint cannot be resolved or you don’t want to discuss your complaint with the teacher’s employer, you can lodge a complaint with VIT via our online form.
Please note you can choose to lodge an anonymous complaint with VIT. However, VIT may not be able to conduct a preliminary assessment or investigation into the matters you have raised.
How can I make other types of complaints?
The VIT is unable to consider complaints in every circumstance.
| Issues VIT cannot consider complaints about | Where to find assistance |
|---|---|
| Administrative matters such as concerns regarding class allocations or academic grading, or issues about the application of school policies | Contact the school or early childhood service directly |
| Concerns about the management of a school that are not specific to a teacher | Contact the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) |
| Complaints that a school has not complied with the Child Safe Standards | Contact the VRQA |
| Concerns that a teacher may have committed a criminal offence | Contact the Victoria Police |
Last updated: 29 Jul 2024