Provide feedback or make a complaint to the Department of Education
How you can provide feedback about our services, such as schools, teaching, exams, child care, or employees.
Quick links
On this page
- Early childhood education and care services
- Victorian government schools
- Independent or catholic schools
- Department employees and services
- Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA)
- Raising privacy concerns
We welcome feedback from students, families and members of the community as it helps us know what we are doing well and what we can improve.
Feedback includes compliments, complaints, and suggestions about how we can improve in the future.
How we respond to complaints
If you have a concern about your child’s education or department services, we will:
- outline the process for dealing with your complaint
- provide you with any reasonable support to lodge your complaint
- treat you respectfully
- act impartially and objectively
- maintain confidentiality and privacy as required
- provide an indicative time for addressing your issue
- keep you informed of the progress of our inquiries
- when extended time is required provide reasons for our decision
- inform you of your rights of internal or external review.
How to provide feedback or make a complaint
We run a large range of services across Victoria. Your feedback is best handled by staff who work in the relevant area.
Early childhood education and care services
Complaint about child care or early childhood education services
If you have concerns about a child’s safety, wellbeing, or the conduct of staff at an early childhood education and care service provider, you can raise your concerns directly with the Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA).
Established on 1 January 2026, VECRA is the independent regulator of early childhood education and care services in Victoria, operating as a statutory authority separate from the Department of Education.
Refer to: Make a complaint about an early childhood service.
Complaint about staff from the Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA)
You can make a complaint about a VECRA staff member or your satisfaction with the action taken by VECRA.
Refer to: Complaints about VECRA.
Victorian government schools
Feedback about government schools or school staff
You can provide feedback to compliment the education system, school and staff or provide suggestions to assist with continuous improvement of schools.
Refer to: Provide feedback about government schools or school staff.
Complaint about government schools or school staff
Complaints start with raising the issue with the school and trying to find a resolution. If you need more support, first raise your complaint with your local department office. If you need further support, then raise your complaint with the department’s central office.
- Refer to: Make a complaint about your school. There, you will also find a link to the Complaints policy for Victorian government schools.
- Complex complaints may need to be resolved by the Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution.
Complaint about the Victorian school curriculum and examinations
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) will respond to complaints about the:
- school curriculum
- examinations
- NAPLAN.
Refer to: VCAA complaints handling policy and procedure.
Complaint and regulation of student exchange programs
The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) investigates complaints against student exchange organisations.
Refer to: VRQA complaints.
Report racism or religious discrimination
Everyone in our school community deserves to be respected, valued and treated equally. Discrimination or abuse based on religion or race is not tolerated in our school communities.
If your child has been the target of, or has witnessed, religious or racial discrimination or abuse, report it to your school. They will make sure appropriate action and support is provided.
Refer to: Report racism or religious discrimination in schools.
Report sexual abuse if you’re a current or former student
If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse by an adult, as a student at a Victorian government school, either recently or in the past, we encourage you to report it to us and the police.
You can contact police services:
- Victoria Police on 000 if the risk is immediate
- your local police station or your local Victorian Police Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team (SOCIT).
Information on access to counselling assistance and other supports, and how to make a claim for compensation is available.
Refer to: Report sexual abuse if you’re a current or former student.
Independent or catholic schools
If your concern relates to a catholic school, you can contact the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria.
If your concern relates to an independent school, refer to: VRQA complaints.
Department employees and services
Making a complaint as a member of the department
If you have a complaint, lodge it with your immediate manager. You will need to outline what your complaint is about and how you would like to resolve it. If the complaint is about your immediate manager, then discuss the issue with the manager one step above (your manager’s manager).
Refer to: Human Resources - complaint procedure FAQs (PDF).
Report fraud or corruption
If you know or have reason to believe a departmental employee, contractor or service provider has been involved in fraudulent or corrupt conduct, you should report it as a complaint or public interest disclosure.
Refer to: Human Resources - report fraud or corruption.
Offer feedback or complimenting a member of the department
If you wish to pass on general feedback or a compliment, contact the department switchboard. Phone (03) 9637 2000 and ask for the business area involved.
Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA)
You should first discuss your concerns with the relevant staff member or team (where applicable). If you need further support, you can use our online form to submit your feedback or lodge a formal complaint.
Refer to: the VSBA’s customer service commitment.
Raising privacy concerns
You can raise privacy concerns about departmental processes, staff or services associated with the:
- collection
- handling, or
- sharing of personal or health information.
You can raise a concern or complaint with your local regional office or our privacy team.
Refer to: Make a privacy complaint.
Updated 26 March 2026
About the VIC Government
- The Premier and ministers
- Find a Vic Gov department, agency or service
- Strategies and policies
- Inquiries and royal commissions
Grants and programs
Jobs and careers
Arts, culture and heritage
Business and the workplace
- Mentally Healthy Workplaces Framework
- Portable Long Service Authority
- Victoria’s racing industry
- Workforce Inspectorate Victoria
- Liquor licensing, sale and supply
Communities
- Children
- First Peoples - State Relations
- Finding records
- Gender equality & women’s leadership
- LGBTIQA+ equality
- Multicultural communities
- Seniors Online
- Veterans support and commemoration
- Volunteering in Victoria
- Youth Central
Education and training
- Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority
- Early childhood education – information for professionals
- Kinder: Best Start, Best Life
- Education – information for parents
- Schools.Vic - information for schools
- Education grants, programs, awards and events
- PROTECT
- TAFE, training and universities sector
- TAFE Victoria
- Victorian Skills Authority
- Apprenticeships Victoria
- Learn Local
Environment, water and energy
Finance and economy
Health and social support
- Family violence reform
- NDIS Worker Screening Check
- NDIS and disability services and support in Victoria
- Patient Review Panel
- Transforming Trauma Victoria
Housing and property
Law and justice
- Adoption
- Births, deaths and marriages
- Honorary justices
- Machete ban
- Safeguarding Victorians against terrorism
- Stolen Generations Reparations Package
- Victims of Crime
- Victorian Racing Tribunal
Safety and emergencies
- Emergency Recovery Victoria
- Victorian Emergency Relief and Recovery Foundation
- Emergency Recovery Resource Portal
- How well do you know fire
- Fire Services Reform
- Water safety
- Marine Search and Rescue
Science and technology
- Data sharing and open data
- Data.vic - discover and access Vic Gov open data
- Developer.Vic - portal for API developers
- Go.vic URL shortener
- Vic Gov IT project dashboard
- Victoria’s free public wi-fi network
- Cyber security in the Victorian Government
Sport and recreation
Traffic and transport
- Cameras Save Lives
- Transport Fines
- Getting Around
- Transport Planning
- Transport Future
- Climate Change and transport
- Future Directions For Transport
- Transport projects
- Ports and Freight
Working in the Victorian Government
- Single Digital Presence home
- Accommodation and Library Services
- Executive employment in the Victorian public sector
- Budget, procurement and funding
- Careers in the Victorian Government
- Council and Regulator Toolkit
- Guidelines for working in government
- Join a government network
- Standards and guidelines
- VicFleet CarPool
- Victorian Government style guide