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Overview
Parents and Citizens' (P&C) associations work in productive partnership with their school principal and the community to promote the interests of the school, and facilitate its development and further improvement, to achieve the best possible outcomes for students.
P&Cs provide feedback and advice on school policies and activities, assist in providing resources to enhance student outcomes and are involved in a variety of school activities including fundraising, school functions, tuckshops and outside school hours care services.
P&Cs are established under the
Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 and Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2017. Queensland P&Cs are a statutory body under the
Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982. They are
not incorporated entities under the
Associations Incorporations Act 1981.
Parents associated with Catholic education are encouraged to visit the
Catholic School Parents Queensland website for more information.
Parents of students attending independent schools are encouraged to visit the
Queensland Independent Schools Parents Network website for further information.
Partnership agreement
The Department of Education and P&Cs Qld work together to support state school P&Cs under a partnership agreement.
Under the agreement, a P&C services manager is funded by the department and based at P&Cs Qld.
P&Cs Qld supports principals and P&Cs with the full range of P&C matters and provides access to professional development opportunities for P&Cs.
For further information on P&Cs Qld, visit the
P&Cs Qld website.
Procedures and key documents
The following may inform and support P&C functions and operations.
Supporting information
Frequently asked questions
Membership
Can a P&C employee (e.g. tuckshop convenor, outside school hours care worker) be a member of the P&C?
Yes, an employee of a P&C can be a member of the P&C. However, they will need to understand potential conflicts of interest when attending and participating in meetings and should not be involved in the discussions or vote on any matter that has the potential to impact them financially.
Do you need to attend a meeting to become a P&C member?
No, you do not need to attend the AGM or a general meeting for your membership to be considered or accepted.
Executive Committees & Annual General Meetings (AGMs)
Can an AGM proceed if an executive committee position (e.g. president) has not been filled?
Yes, if there is a quorum of members present, and the P&C's audited financial statements are available, then the AGM should continue in an attempt to fill all, or some, of the positions. Any vacancies at the conclusion of the AGM can be filled after the meeting.
Can an AGM proceed if the audited annual financial statements are not available?
No. If the audited annual financial statements are not available, then the meeting cannot proceed and must be adjourned until such time as the audited annual financial statements are available for consideration by the members.
Where should the P&C send its audited financial statement after the AGM?
By 31 May each year, the P&C treasurer will forward to the school's principal, a complete copy of the P&C's audited financial statement for the previous calendar year, and the name and contact details for the incoming executive committee (The principal will forward this information to their regional director).
Who approves amendments made to a P&C’s constitution?
The principal (as the director-general's delegate) can approve any changes the P&C is seeking to make to its constitution.
Can a member hold more than one executive committee position?
While it is desirable that different members are appointed to each position, if the P&C is unable to fill all positions, then a member can hold more than one executive committee position. However, the office of treasurer must not be held by a person who is president or secretary (refer to Model Constitution section 15.1.3).
Can a member of school staff be on the executive committee?
Yes, a staff member of the school (other than the principal) can accept an executive committee role. However, the number of school staff on the executive committee must not exceed one-third of the whole committee.
The school's principal is not eligible to take on an executive committee role for their P&C.
When do executive committee positions change hands?
At the AGM, once the ballots have been counted, the elected executive committee members commence their roles immediately.
What happens with unfilled executive committee positions?
Unfilled positions should be promoted to the school community and listed on the agenda for general meetings of the P&C until members nominate for the role/s. The other elected executive committee members need to ensure the work of the vacant position/s is conducted until the role/s is filled.
Can an executive committee member apply for a paid position as an employee of the P&C?
Yes, however, the member would need to resign from the executive committee position, in writing, before the application process begins. This ensures transparency in the employment process. The vacated executive committee position can be filled at a general meeting.
Do executive committee members need to give notice of their intention to resign?
Executive committee members of a P&C that conducts an outside school hours care service need to give 4 weeks' written notice of their intention to resign. This can be given to the P&C president or school principal. If a replacement executive committee member can be found sooner, then less than 4 weeks' notice is acceptable.
Role of the principal
What is the role of the principal at a P&C meeting?
The principal's role at each P&C meeting is to provide a report (in written or verbal form), respond to questions arising from that report and offer advice on Department of Education guidelines. If the principal is not able to attend a P&C meeting, another school staff member may attend as the principal's representative.
The principal may ask the P&C for advice and recommendations about issues relating to the general operations and management of the school or students of the school.
Is the principal a member of the P&C?
Yes. The principal (or an acting principal) is automatically a member of the P&C. The principal cannot be an office holder or a signatory to the P&C bank account.
Is the principal allowed to vote?
Yes, the principal has the same rights as any other member. The principal is entitled to vote, to move and second motions, and to engage in discussions. The exception to this is if the principal is recognised as the returning officer at the P&C’s annual general meeting.
Fundraising, donations and grants
Can P&Cs serve/sell alcohol at a social event held on the school premises?
Principals may determine that it would not be appropriate for alcohol to be served at an event.
If the principal and school community support the sale of alcohol at a P&C event, and there are no alcohol restrictions in place, then alcohol may be served.
Before the P&C conducts an event at which alcohol will be served, the executive committee should:
- seek the principal's approval for the event, including for alcohol to be served and/or sold at the event
- conduct a risk assessment for the event
- complete and submit the P&C insurer's activity declaration form
- ensure the purchase of alcohol (by the P&C) is approved at a P&C meeting as per normal expenditure practices.
For more information, refer to the
planning guide for non-profit fundraising events, alcohol, safety and event management (PDF, 1.8MB).
Can a P&C operate a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) fund or provide tax deductible receipts for donations or voluntary contributions?
No. Due to changes to the law regarding the eligibility requirements for DGR funds, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has advised that Queensland P&Cs are no longer entitled to DGR endorsement.
While P&Cs will no longer be able to operate DGR-endorsed school building funds, they may still encourage gifts and donations to be paid directly into a school-operated building fund (if the school has one).
The school (rather than the P&C) will issue receipts for such tax-deductible donations.
Can a P&C donate goods or funds to another P&C or school that has been affected by a natural disaster?
Yes, P&Cs can donate money or goods to another state school (including environmental and outdoor education centres), or other P&Cs, following an adverse event (e.g. natural disaster such as flooding, storm or bush fire). For more information, refer to the
P&C information sheet regarding donations.
Can a P&C provide uniforms, stationery and books to a student of its own school whose family is affected by a natural disaster?
Yes, P&Cs can assist students of their own school in these ways. Ideally, this should be passed as a motion at a P&C meeting, for example, 'That the P&C provide uniform items and allocate up to $X to assist flood-affected students to replace books, stationery and school-related equipment'. Alternatively, if the matter requires urgent attention, the P&C executive committee could decide to provide uniforms and other items for students directly impacted by a natural disaster and table that decision at the next P&C general meeting.
P&C employees
Can a P&C employee nominate for an executive committee position?
No. Employees or persons considered to be employees (e.g. ongoing contractors) of a P&C cannot be nominated for executive committee positions.
Can a P&C employee vote for executive committee nominees?
Yes. P&C employees who are members of the P&C may vote for the executive committee.
When should a P&C employee (or their family member) not participate in discussions or vote at a meeting?
A P&C employee (or a household member of a P&C employee) should not participate in any deliberations or voting that could have a financial impact on the employee (or their household).
For example, a tuckshop employee or a member or their household should not be involved in deliberations or voting regarding increased hours of operation of the tuckshop which could mean the person is paid for more hours of work and therefore gain a financial benefit. They could vote to purchase a new fridge for the tuckshop because they would not have any financial gain from a new fridge being in the tuckshop.
Can a P&C employee nominate for a sub-committee position?
Employees can be a member of a sub-committee which is not directly related to their employment (e.g. a tuckshop employee could be a member of the uniform shop sub-committee).
Where can a P&C employee get advice if they have concerns about their wages or employment conditions?
The employee should contact the president or P&C executive committee to discuss their concerns. If the matter is not resolved, they may wish to seek advice from their employee union (if relevant), or the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission. Neither the department nor the principal of the school have jurisdiction over industrial matters concerning a person employed by the P&C.
Blue cards and student protection training
Do P&C members need a blue card?
You will need a blue card if you are an executive committee member of a P&C and you make decisions affecting children, or if your P&C operates an outside school hours care (OSHC).
Members who are not parents of current students at the school (and who are not registered teachers at the school) must meet the current blue card requirements.
For more information, please visit
Blue Card Services, refer to
blue card system fact sheet—information for P&C and P&F associations or Blue cards for Parents and Citizens and Parent and Friends associations.
Do P&C members need to do student protection training?
Student protection training requirements depend on the nature of a member's contact with students and is determined by the principal.
Non-departmental employees, volunteers and visitors who have regular contact with students receive student protection training determined by the principal.
Please contact the school principal for more information.
Other P&C matters
What is the best way to resolve conflict within a P&C?
Like any organisations, P&Cs include members with varying views. If conflict arises, all parties have an obligation to try to resolve the matter in a respectful way for the benefit of the school and its students. For more information, refer to the
information sheet for P&Cs—managing conflict (PDF, 146KB).