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Respectful learning environments for staff, families, children and young people

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    Schools, preschools, children’s services and other education settings are places where all members of our community should feel safe.

    The vast majority of parents, caregivers, and other community members behave respectfully when they communicate with staff at schools, preschools, children’s services centres and education and care services.

    However, for the small number of cases where behaviour is unacceptable, safeguards are in place to protect the education community from the minority who do not behave appropriately.

    This page sets out:

    • respectful behaviour expectations for visitors at government education and care sites
    • actions that may be taken if expectations aren’t followed
    • rights and responsibilities of people who have been barred.
    Video transcript – respectful learning environments

    Respectful learning environments (2 minutes)

    Schools, preschools, children’s services and other education settings are places where all members of our community should feel safe. This video sets out respectful behaviour expectations for visitors, and actions that may be taken if expectations aren’t followed.

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    Video transcript

    Community access to government schools, preschools, and children’s services

    Government schools, preschools, and children’s services are not public land, which means there is no general right of access to the premises. Parents, carers, and other visitors are welcomed, but for everyone’s safety:

    • anyone who is not enrolled or employed at the site should not be on the premises during school, preschool, or service hours without a genuine reason (for example, dropping off or picking up children, attending a meeting, making an enquiry or payment at the office, volunteering, carrying out contract work)
    • all visitors need to follow the site’s visitor protocols, such as signing in at the office and only going to other parts of the premises with staff permission
    • staff may ask visitors why they are on the premises, and direct them to leave if they don’t have a genuine reason to be there at that time
    • staff may contact South Australia Police if someone is trespassing (does not leave when directed) or behaving in an unsafe or offensive way on or near the premises.

    The Department for Education encourages safe and considerate community use of its facilities at times when they are not being used for the education and care of enrolled children/students. Head to community use of school or preschool facilities for more information.

    Respectful behaviour for visitors

    A positive learning community sees parents, caregivers, teachers, educators and staff partnering together to support learning and respectful collaboration. Head to parent engagement for more information about how you can get involved with your child’s education.

    Any concerns about the behaviour of other education community members should be reported to staff at the school, preschool or children’s service as soon as possible, so they can take appropriate action and help resolve the issue.

    What we can all expect

    • mutual trust and respect
    • collaboration and teamwork
    • open, two-way communication
    • respect for each other’s time.

    What we ask of parents, carers, and other visitors

    • be polite and respectful toward all other members of the education community
    • model safe and appropriate behaviour around children and young people
    • follow visitor protocols and directions given by staff
    • discuss concerns with staff calmly and using the appropriate processes, so that we can work together with you to resolve them
    • understand that staff are required to remain neutral and, for privacy reasons, can’t share details about other children or families with you
    • keep issues that are not relevant to the school, preschool, or children’s service away from the learning environment.

    Behaviour that will not be tolerated:

    • offensive, discriminatory, or insulting language
    • verbal abuse
    • unreasonable or harassing communications to or about staff, including online
    • intimidating or aggressive behaviour
    • threatening behaviour or language
    • any kind of violence
    • trespassing
    • disorderly or disruptive behaviour
    • any other behaviours that put the safety or wellbeing of others in the education community at risk.

    Actions that may be taken

    Our site leaders (such as principals of government schools and directors of government preschools and children’s services) are empowered to respond to a range of misbehaviour that compromises the safety and wellbeing of their education community and/or which disrupts a positive and productive learning and working environment.

    Staff will also contact South Australia Police where appropriate.

    Reminders and warnings

    • Leadership staff might have a conversation with someone remind them about expectations for polite and respectful behaviour when visiting the site and interacting with staff and other community members.
    • The site leader could send someone a respectful communication reminder letter or a formal warning letter if they have a concern about the way they’ve behaved or communicated with others in the education community.
    • The education director could also send someone a final warning if their inappropriate behaviour continues after they’ve already received a warning from the site leader.
    • Wherever possible, it’s preferable to address concerns about a parent or carer’s behaviour using these less-restrictive options, as they give people an opportunity to adjust their behaviour and remind them how to raise issues appropriately in future. However, site leaders may need to consider taking more serious action if the person’s behaviour is severe or the issues have continued after they’ve already been reminded or warned.

    Directions to leave and not enter premises

    • Under section 95 of the Education and Children’s Services Act 2019, a police officer, or anyone who works at the relevant school, preschool, children’s service, or other department site can direct someone to leave and/or to not enter relevant premises if they reasonably believe that person:
      • poses an imminent risk to the physical, emotional, or psychological safety or wellbeing of anyone else in the education community
      • poses an imminent risk of causing significant disruption to the learning or working environment
      • has engaged in vexatious (unreasonable) communication to or about staff, which can be in-person, over the phone, in writing, or online.
    • Directions can be given verbally ‘on the spot’ and/or in writing.
    • These directions provide short-term protections to the education community. The site leader may use this time to put other safeguards in place, where appropriate, such as sending a barring notice to the person or arranging additional security measures.
    • The maximum penalty for refusing to leave premises immediately when directed to do so, or for entering the premises within 2 business days after the day a direction to leave or not enter was issued, is $7,500.

    Barring notices

    • Under section 93 of the Education and Children’s Services Act 2019, site leaders (or someone they have authorised) may issue a barring notice if they reasonably believe that a person:
      • poses a risk to the physical, emotional, or psychological safety or wellbeing of anyone else in the education community
      • poses a risk of causing significant disruption to the learning or working environment
      • has engaged in vexatious (unreasonable) communication to or about staff, which can be in-person, over the phone, in writing, or online.
    • A barring notice temporarily prohibits a person from entering the relevant school, preschool, children’s service or other department premises.
    • They may also prohibit the person from:
      • attending other locations being used by the school, preschool, or children’s service for off-site activities (such as camps, excursions, performances, or ceremonies)
      • being within 25 metres of a boundary of the school, preschool, or children’s service and/or other locations being used for off-site learning activities
      • contacting anyone employed at the premises, except as specified in the barring notice (for example, they may only be allowed to communicate with a certain staff member or only by email)
      • communicating on any online platforms controlled by or set up in relation to the site (such as messaging apps and social media pages).
    • The maximum length of a barring notice is 6 months.
    • Site leaders across all education sectors are required to follow the ministerial guidelines (PDF 371 KB) when issuing a barring notice.
    • In some circumstances, the site leader may notify you that they are considering issuing a barring notice and give you an opportunity to make submissions about that before they make their decision.
    • Barring notices are not designed to be used as a first response to address behaviour concerns, except in severe cases where it’s necessary to ensure others’ safety and wellbeing and/or the good order of the education environment. A barring notice could also be issued if a person’s inappropriate behaviour has continued after previous reminders or warnings.
    • The maximum penalty for failure to comply with a barring notice is $7,500.

    Your responsibilities if you have been barred

    • You should read your barring notice carefully and keep a copy for your reference.
    • Your barring notice explains:
      • the conditions you are required to follow (for example, the areas you are not permitted to enter and/or how you may communicate with staff)
      • how long the barring conditions apply for
      • what actions could be taken if you breach your barring conditions
      • how you can apply for your barring notice to be changed or withdrawn
    • Your child(ren) continue attending their school, preschool, or service as normal.

    Your rights if you have been barred

    • If you are a parent or carer of a child attending the site you have been barred from, you will still be able to:
      • communicate with staff about your child’s learning and wellbeing or to raise concerns, in the ways specified in the conditions of your barring notice
      • drop off and pick up children at the site, in the ways specified in the conditions of your barring notice.
    • You may apply to the person who issued the barring notice to you and/or to the Chief Executive of the Department for Education if you believe there are reasons it should be changed or withdrawn. An application form is enclosed with your barring notice to help you explain the reasons for your application and the outcomes you are seeking, or you can download a copy of the application (PDF 233 KB) .
    • If you have been barred from a government school, preschool, children’s service, or any other Department for Education site for 2 weeks or more, you also have the option to apply to the Minister for Education, Training and Skills to review the barring decision. An application form will be enclosed with your barring notice if this option applies to you, or you can download a copy of the application (PDF 287 KB) .
    • All conditions of your barring notice will remain in effect while an application is being considered. You will be notified in writing of the outcome, which may be to:
      • uphold the barring notice (it stays in effect), or
      • vary it (such as changing the conditions or end date), or
      • revoke (withdraw) it.

    What to do when you have concerns

    Everyone is entitled to raise a complaint or provide feedback, but this must always be done in a reasonable and respectful way. Remaining calm and polite while talking to staff about an issue helps ensure concerns are heard and can be followed up.

    Any issues happening at the school, preschool, or children’s service should be always reported to staff in the first instance so they can try to work with you to resolve it. It’s not OK for parents and other community members to confront children or their families about behaviour concerns.

    If you’ve raised a concern with site staff but don’t feel it has been resolved, you can raise a complaint with the Department for Education.

    Head to school or preschool complaints for more information about:

    • how to raise a complaint with the department
    • getting help with raising a complaint
    • expectations for reasonable conduct when raising a complaint
    • other agencies you can contact if you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint.

    Information flyers

    Download flyers about respectful behaviour at schools, preschools and children’s services.

    Information in languages other than English

    The flyer has been translated into these languages:

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