The Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (‘TRBWA’) is responsible for the registration and professional conduct of teachers from early childhood to Year 12. You can complain to the TRBWA if you are concerned about the professional conduct, competence, impairment, or registration issues of a teacher who is registered (or was registered at the time of the conduct) in Western Australia.
This guide focuses on submitting a complaint about a teacher or about TRBWA staff or services. It does not cover mandatory notifications that teachers and employers are required to make to the TRBWA. Please see the TRBWA website for information on mandatory notifications.
What types of complaints can you make?
You can complain to TRBWA about:
Teacher Conduct and Competence:
- Improper behaviour: sending inappropriate messages to students, falsifying student assessment records, threatening or intimidating behaviour, or criminal conduct.
- Incompetence: teaching well below the expected standards, failing to deliver lessons, or improper assessment of student work.
- Safety Concerns: failing to supervise hazardous activities, leaving students unattended for long periods, or not following safety requirements during excursions.
- Teacher Impairment: concerns about a teacher’s ability to teach safely or effectively due to impairment like alcohol use, disorientation, falling asleep while supervising students.
Teacher Registration Issues:
- Teaching without registration or while suspended.
- Falsely claiming to be registered.
- Breaching registration rules or conditions.
TRBWA Service Complaints:
- Delays in responding to registration matter.
- Confusing instructions for submitting documents.
- Rude or disrespectful behaviour from TRBWA staff.
TRBWA does not handle complaints about:
- Dissatisfaction with school administration or policies.
- School decisions, teaching styles, or classroom allocations.
- General school service issues.
- Individuals that are not required to be registered, such as teacher aides, student teachers, tutors, and TAFE lecturers.
Jurisdiction: TRBWA has the authority to hear complaints under the law of Western Australia. All teachers teaching in Western Australia educational institutions must be registered with TRBWA.
Time limits: There is no specified time limit for making a complaint, but you are encouraged to make complaints as soon as possible.
Who can you make a complaint against?
You can make a complaint about:
- Registered teachers.
- Formerly registered teachers who were registered at the time of the alleged conduct.
- Unregistered teachers teaching without TRBWA registration or authorisation.
- TRBWA's public register can be used to check whether a teacher is registered in Western Australia.
- Teachers breaching suspension or registration conditions.
- Individuals falsely claiming to be registered.
- Schools or employers allowing unregistered teaching or failing to report serious misconduct.
- TRBWA staff, contractors, or services.
Are you eligible to make a complaint?
Anyone can submit a complaint with the TRBWA, including on behalf of someone else.
What can this body do to help?
Possible outcomes include:
- Referral to a Disciplinary Committee, Impairment Review Committee, the State Administrative Tribunal, or another appropriate agency.
- Conditions on Registration: Conditions may be applied temporarily while a matter is being resolved, or to address risks or concerns about a teacher’s conduct.
- Suspension of Registration: TRBWA can suspend a teacher’s registration temporarily, stopping them from teaching as a registered teacher.
- Cancellation of Registration: Required for offences, negative Working with Children notices, fraudulent qualifications, unpaid fees, or Tribunal orders.
- TRBWA Service Improvement: Complaints are reviewed for service improvements.
How to prepare your complaint:
Complaints should be in writing and include as much clear information as possible.
Personal details: Include your name, address, phone number, and email address. If making a complaint on behalf of someone else, explain your relationship to the person affected and include their contact details.
Do not assume anonymity. Teachers are informed when a complaint has been made against them.
Details about the person or service you are complaining about: Including name, school or institution, role, and TRBWA registration number, if known.
Relevant Facts:
- Explain what happened.
- Provide the date, time and location of the incident.
- Describe who was involved.
- Explain if anyone was at risk.
- Explain the reason for your concern (and why it is a registration, conduct, competency, impairment, or TRBWA service issue).
- Details of any witnesses.
Evidence: Include any relevant documents to support your complaint such as letters, screenshots, incident notes, registration search results, or school correspondence.
What NOT to include: Do not include false or misleading statements.
Lodging your complaint and next steps:
Complaints about teachers and schools should be made in writing by email or post:
- Email: icb@trb.education.wa.edu.au
- Post: Assistant Director,
Investigations, and Compliance Branch, TRBWA
PO Box 3019, East Perth WA 6892
Reports of unregistered teachers should be submitted by email or phone:
- Phone: 08 9223 9101
Complaints about TRBWA services can be submitted via the online form, email, post or in-person:
- Phone: 08 9223 9101
- Post: TRBWA, PO Box 3019, East Perth WA 6892
- In-person: 151 Royal Street, East Perth WA 6004, entry off Hill Street.
General Inquiries:
- Email: info@trb.education.wa.edu.au
- Phone: 08 9223 9101
What happens next: TRBWA will notify the teacher that a complaint has been made.
Other things to know: Let TRBWA know if you require an interpreter or communication adjustment.
More information:
Refer to the factsheet provided below for more information.
