Complaints Handling at TQI
Acknowledgement: TQI will formally acknowledge the receipt of all complaints.
The ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) is an independent statutory authority dedicated to promoting teacher quality and safeguarding children and young people. The ACT Teacher Quality Institute Act (2010) is our primary legislative framework.
Before Lodging a Complaint with TQI
To assist you in making a complaint about a teacher, we ask that you first consider whether TQI is the appropriate entity to address your concerns. If a teacher is acting in accordance with their employer’s policies and procedures, TQI may not have the appropriate authority under the legislation to assist you with your complaint. In such cases, the matter may be more appropriately managed by the teacher’s employer.
We encourage you to first raise your concerns directly with the following:
- The principal or person in charge of the school or early childhood education and care setting
- The governing body of the institution
- The authority that employs the teacher
Wherever possible, the teacher’s employer should be given the opportunity to address the matter. This may, in turn, require the employer to make a mandatory employer notification to TQI.
If the employer is unable to resolve your complaint, you may also consider contacting:
- ACT Human Rights Commission
- ACT Ombudsman
- ACT Restrictive Practice Senior Practitioner
If your complaint remains unresolved, or if you prefer not to raise it with the teacher’s employer, you may submit your formal complaint directly with TQI using the form below, or email TQINotifications@act.gov.au
If Yes, and you have not already done so, you should refer your concerns to ACT Policing.
That is, issues relating to school uniforms, school reports or the application of a policy including curriculum?
If Yes, you should direct your complaint directly to the school or early childhood education and care service.
If you are not satisfied you can direct the complaint to the employing authority, such as:
- the ACT Education Directorate
- Catholic Education via reception@cg.catholic.edu.au
- For issues with non-government schools contact the Non-Government Schools Registrar via ngs.concerns@act.gov.au
- For Early Childhood Education and Care settings contact Children’s Education and Care Assurance (CECA)
These issues are outside the legislative authority of TQI.
That is, allegations about a teacher’s management and/or performance as an employee?
If Yes, you should direct your complaint directly to the school or early childhood education and care service.
If you are not satisfied you can direct the complaint to the employing authority, such as:
- the ACT Education Directorate
- Catholic Education via reception@cg.catholic.edu.au
- For issues with non-government schools contact the Non-Government Schools Registrar via ngs.concerns@act.gov.au
- For Early Childhood Education and Care settings contact Children’s Education and Care Assurance (CECA)
These issues may be outside the legislated authority of TQI.
That is, conduct that could, if proven, be a criminal offence or reasonable grounds for terminating the teacher’s employment?
If Yes, you should refer your complaint to the employing authority in the first instance.
TQI may be able to review your complaint.
That is, has the teacher behaved in a way that may not satisfy the standard of behaviour generally expected of a teacher?
If Yes, you should refer your complaint to the employing authority in the first instance.
TQI may be able to review your complaint.
If Yes, you should refer your complaint to the employing authority in the first instance.
TQI may be able to review your complaint.