Queensland updates complaints management guidance for ECEC services

The Queensland Department of Education has released updated complaints management resources to help early childhood education and care (ECEC) services respond effectively when concerns are raised.

Previously available as a single PDF, the guidance is now presented across two dedicated webpages, making practical information and strategies easier for approved providers, nominated supervisors and educators to access.

The updated resources focus on two areas:

• effective complaints management; and
• effectively communicating with complainants.

Complaints are an inevitable part of operating an early childhood service. When managed well, they can strengthen trust, reinforce child-safe practice and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

The way a service receives and responds to a complaint can be just as important as the eventual outcome.

A complaint may provide an early indication that a child, family, educator or community member does not feel heard, respected or safe. It may also highlight a gap in practice, communication, policy implementation or organisational oversight.

Effective complaints management should therefore be embedded within a service’s governance, leadership and quality improvement systems, rather than treated only as an administrative process.

The first area of guidance explores the components of a fair, transparent and child-centred complaints process.

This includes assessing the nature, seriousness and urgency of a complaint, applying procedural fairness and ensuring all relevant parties are given an appropriate opportunity to provide information.

Services should also maintain accurate records of:

• the concern raised;
• when and how it was received;
• the people involved;
• any immediate safety actions taken;
• communication with the complainant;
• the assessment or investigation undertaken;
• decisions made and the reasons for them; and
• actions taken in response.

Clear documentation supports consistent decision-making and helps a service demonstrate how it has responded to concerns.

Complaints should also be reviewed collectively to identify recurring themes, emerging risks or areas requiring broader organisational improvement.

These practices support effective governance under Quality Area 7 of the National Quality Standard and complement services’ obligations to maintain policies and procedures for dealing with complaints.

The second area of guidance focuses on communication, which can play a significant role in whether a complaint is resolved or escalates further.

People raising concerns may be worried, distressed or frustrated. A response that appears defensive, dismissive or unnecessarily delayed can undermine trust, even where the service is taking appropriate action behind the scenes.

Effective communication includes:

• acknowledging the concern promptly;
• listening carefully and respectfully;
• clarifying the issues raised and the outcome being sought;
• explaining the complaints process and likely timeframes;
• providing appropriate progress updates;
• managing expectations professionally; and
• clearly communicating the outcome and any next steps.

Services may not always be able to disclose every detail, particularly where privacy, employment or child protection considerations apply. Where information cannot be shared, this should be explained clearly rather than relying on confidentiality as a reason to provide no meaningful response.

Not every complaint can be managed through an ordinary internal complaints process.

Concerns involving alleged abuse, neglect, misconduct, inappropriate behaviour or risks to a child’s safety may trigger additional reporting, investigation or notification obligations.

Queensland’s Reportable Conduct Scheme came into effect on 1 July 2026 and introduced a consistent statewide approach to reporting and responding to allegations of harm involving workers.

ECEC services must therefore ensure their complaints procedures connect clearly with their child protection, incident management, reportable conduct and regulatory notification processes.

Staff should understand how to distinguish between a general complaint and a matter requiring immediate escalation or external notification.

The updated guidance provides a timely opportunity for services to consider whether their complaints management systems remain effective in practice.

Approved providers and service leaders may wish to ask:

• Can children, families and staff easily find out how to raise a concern?
• Are complaints acknowledged and assessed promptly?
• Do staff understand when a concern must be escalated?
• Are complainants kept appropriately informed?
• Are decisions and actions documented consistently?
• Are recurring concerns analysed for wider operational or cultural issues?
• Do complaint outcomes contribute to the service’s Quality Improvement Plan?

A strong complaints management system is not measured by the absence of complaints. It is demonstrated through the way an organisation listens, responds, learns and acts when concerns are raised.

The updated guidance is available through the Queensland Early Childhood Education and Care complaints management resources.