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Student Protection

The Student Protection procedure (SMS-PR-012) outlines the responsibilities and commitment of Education Queensland to providing a safe, supportive and disciplined learning environment, to preventing reasonably foreseeable harm to students and to responding when an Education Queensland employee or an employee of a state school reasonably suspects harm or risk of harm to students.

The procedure applies to all Education Queensland employees including school staff members and regional and central office personnel. It also includes other employees of state schools (e.g. Youth Support Coordinators, School-Based Youth Health Nurses and Chaplains), volunteers and on-going visitors that have regular contact with students.

Harm is:

Harm, to a student, is any detrimental effect of a significant nature on a student's physical, psychological or emotional wellbeing. Harm can be caused by physical abuse, psychological or emotional abuse, neglect or sexual abuse or exploitation.

If a school employee suspects that a student has been harmed or is at risk of harm, they must report their concerns to the school principal.

When the principal receives information and is satisfied that grounds exist to reasonably suspect that a student has been harmed or is at risk of harm (including harm or risk of harm to an unborn child), the principal follows specific reporting procedures detailed in the Student Protection policy.

What happens when:

If you are concerned that a student has been harmed or is at risk of harm, you can discuss your concerns with the principal. Alternatively, you can make a report directly to the Department of Communities (Child Safety Services) or the Queensland Police Service.

In situations where you are unhappy about the actions taken by the school you are able to use Education Queensland's complaints process.

Education Queensland is committed to ensuring that all complaints are dealt with in a fair and equitable manner. There are processes and support structures in place to enable students and parents/carers to work through any issues they may have with Education Queensland policies and procedures in schools. A Making a complaint 67k fact sheet is available on the department's website.

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