Complaints Management at ACC

Every person in our College community has the right to make a complaint. We encourage all people to follow the biblical principles outlined in Matthew 5: 24 – 25 which says “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,  leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

It is not always possible to resolve a conflict in this way but should this Biblical principle first be applied (where possible), then our Complaints Management Process provides a way to work with people on the issues presented. As part of our privacy policy and standards, all complaints will remain confidential.

What are our guiding principles when dealing with a complaint?

Visibility, Transparency & Accessibility

Everyone has a right to complain

• How and where a complaint can be made should be well publicised and effectively communicated to all stakeholders.

Making a complaint should be easy

• Complaints handling process should be easily accessible, particularly to those that require assistance

 i.e. flexibility in methods of making complaints, information on the process available in different formats.

Responsiveness, Objectivity & Privacy

Prompt acknowledgement

• Effective, prompt acknowledgement.
• Prioritisation and communication of timelines.

Procedural fairness.

• Managed in an equitable, objective and unbiased manner.

Need to know basis.

• Personal information collected and stored must be managed in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles.

Accountability -Prevention & Continuous Improvement

Prevention is better than a cure.

• Organisations should develop and implement systems that minimise the possibility of complaints escalating into ongoing disputes. 

Reflection

• Responding to and learning from complaints should be an essential part of an organisations commitment to quality improvement.

What is a complaint?

According to the Australian Standards a complaint is defined as:

“expression of dissatisfaction made to or about an organisation, related to its products, services, staff or the handling of a complaint, where a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected”.

What isn’t a complaint?

• Child protection concerns or risks of harm to children –dealt with in accordance with the law and the school’s Child Protection Policy. 

• Student bullying complaints -dealt with under the Student Bullying or Behaviour Management Policy. Students who are Bullied are also encouraged to access Stymie if they wish to make a complaint at any time. 

• Student discipline matters, including matters involving suspension or expulsion -dealt with under Discipline/Behaviour Management Policy. 

• Employee complaints related to their employment -directed to their supervisor. 

• Student or employee violence or criminal matters -directed to the Principal who will involve the Police as appropriate. 

• Formal legal proceedings. 

Making a complaint should be clear and simple to do.

All schools are required to have complaints handling processes. It should be accessible to all stakeholders. ACC has also developed a Complaints Register which is reported to the Board to look for ways to improve as a College into the future.

NB! Not all complaints will get the outcome you may wish. Vexations or false complaints will also be responded to in the most appropriate way.

Download the form (either PDF or Word documents) below should you wish to make a complaint and email it to complaints@acc.qld.edu.au or hand it in at the front reception in the Admin building.