Complaints Process

About your right to complain, from our Group Manager

Tēnā koutou katoa

The Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) is strongly focused on providing the best possible services to children, young people and their families. However, there may be occasions when our service or practice does not meet our standards and a family, caregiver or others wish to complain. Poor service or practice is regrettable and if we do not hear about it then we don't have the opportunity to investigate the concerns, resolve them and learn from them so that we avoid similar issues in the future.

Our approach to complaints is to objectively investigate and resolve them in a timely, consistent, professional and transparent manner and as closely as possible to where the problem has occurred.

This brochure tells you what that means in practice. Take time to read it, so that you know who to come to and what to do should you need to.

Ōu motika whakatakoto amuamu, ki tō mātou Kaiwhakahaere

Tēnā koutou katoa

E tino aronui ana a He Tohu Umanga Mātauranga (GSE) kia tino pai rawa atu ngā ratonga mō te tamariki, te taiohi me ō rātou whānau. Heoi anō, ki te tūpono, ka kore e tutuki pai e aua ratonga rā ngā mahi ki ngā taumata kua whakaritea, hei reira pea, ka hiahia tētahi o te whānau, tētahi kaitiaki, tētahi atu rānei ki te whakatakoto amuamu. Ehara tēnei i te āhuatanga pai, heoi anō, ki te kore mātou e rongo kōrero, e kore e taea e mātou te āro atu ki ngā amuamu; kāore hoki e āhei ki te whakatau tika, me te whakaora ake i tēnei āhua kia kore ai e puta ake anō.

Kia whakatakotoria he amuamu, ka kaha mātou kia tirohia i runga i te kore whakahāwea. Ka whakanana hoki kia whakatauria i roto i te wā tika, te ōrite o te tirotiro, te ngaio o te whakahaere me te mārakerake o te mahi. Otirā, e tika ana kia kōkiritia ki te wāhi i puta te amuamu.

Kei tēnei puka iti e takoto ana ngā tukanga ki te heipū he raruraru. Āta pānuitia, kia mōhio ai koe ko wai hei whakapātanga mai māhau, me ngā huarahi hei whaitanga hoki.

Nāku noa, nā

Barbara Disley
Group Manager for Special Education

What can I complain about?

Anything directly related to our services or staff. You might have concerns about our systems or the way we do things. You might want to raise issues about our processes, procedures or the conduct of staff.

Who should I complain to?

Complaints are generally best resolved directly with those concerned and GSE specialists and support staff welcome feedback on their practice and the organisation's services. As a parent or caregiver, you should feel comfortable raising any concerns or issues with them during your day-to-day interaction.

However, if your concern is particularly serious or has not been resolved to your satisfaction and it relates to a GSE staff member, then contact your nearest district manager.

How should I complain?

You can make your complaint in person (with a support person if it makes it easier) by email or phone or in writing (click here for contact details).

He aha ngā tūmomo amuamu ka āhei?

Ka āhei ngā take katoa e pā ana ki ā mātou ratonga me ā mātou kaimahi. Tērā pea, he āwangawanga ōu mō ā mātou pūnaha me ā mātou huarahi mahi. Ka hiahia rānei koe ki te whakaputa i ētahi take e pā ana ki ā mātou tukanga, ki ngā tūmomo mahi rānei e pā ana ki ngā mahi a ngā kaimahi.

Me mau aku amuamu ki a wai?

I te nuinga o te wā he pai ake kia hāngai te kōrero, otirā, kāore he raruraru ki ngā pūkenga me ngā kaimahi o GSE mehemea ka whakatakoto kōrero mai koutou mō ngā mahi me ngā ratonga a GSE. I te mea he mātua, he kaitiaki rānei koe, e tika ana kia ngāwari noa tō whakaputa take ki a mātou, i roto noa i ō whakawhitiwhiti o ia rā.

Heoi anō, mehemea he tino taumaha tō take, kāore hoki i te tatū pai ki tōu whakaaro, e pā ana rānei ki tētahi o ngā kaimahi o GSE, whakapā mai ki te Pouwhakahaere - ā - Takiwā e tata ana ki a koe.

Me pēhea taku whakatakoto amuamu?

Ka taea, e koe tonu (me tētahi kaitautoko mehemea ka ngāwari ake), te tuku i tō amuamu mā te īmēra, te waea, te tuhi rānei (tirohia a muri nei mō ngā taipitopito whakapā).

How will my complaint be managed and resolved, what can I expect?

Our approach to managing and resolving complaints is:

• fair - your complaint will be managed and resolved in a way that is impartial, objective and consistent
• simple - we will use a straight forward, practical approach to managing and resolving low-level complaints
• speedy - your complaint will be managed and resolved within a specified timeframe that is discussed with you
• responsive - any relevant information raised through your complaint will be used to improve the way we do things
• non-discriminatory - we will make sure no one is discriminated against as a result of your complaint.

You can also expect to have your complaint:

• acknowledged in writing within five working days (unless it is resolved before then)
• considered by the Ministry of Education within fifteen working days of receiving the complaint (or ten working days after issuing the written acknowledgement)
• resolved as `justified' or `not justified'.

You can expect to receive an outline of the reasons for any decisions we make and the actions we propose to take.

Some complaints are complex and the work related to the complaint may take time. If we need more time to resolve your complaint, we will tell you how much extra time we need, our reasons for needing the extra time, and give you progress updates on a regular basis.

Ka pēhea te whakatau i taku amuamu? He aha ngā āhuatanga ka āhei?

Ki te puta he amuamu ko tā mātou:

• Me tōkeke - ka tirohia, ka whakatauria tō amuamu i runga i te kore whakahāwea me te ōrite o te whakahaere
• Me ngāwari - ka whakahaeretia he huarahi hāngai, he huarahi ngāwari hoki hei whakatau i ngā amuamu māmā
• Me tere - ka whakatauria i roto i te wā ka whakaritea ki tōu taha
• Me tōtika ngā haepapa - ka whakamahia ngā mōhiohio whai pānga ka puta mai i tāu take, hei whakapai ake i ā mātou mahi
• Me kore whakahāwea - kāore tētahi e whakahāweatia i runga i te amuamu ka whakatakotoria e koe.

Kia whakatakotoria e koe tētahi amuamu, ka āhei:

• Kia whiwhi kōrero ā-tuhi koe i roto i te rima rā mahi (heoi anō, tērā pea kua tau kē i mua ake i te rima rā)
• Kia tirohia e te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga i roto i te tekau mā rima rā mai i te wā ka tae ake te amuamu (tekau rā rānei i muri iho i te tukunga tuhi whakamōhio, kua tae mai te amuamu)
• Kia whakamōhiotia atu mehemea i āhei, kāore rānei i āhei tō amuamu.

E āhei ana kia whiwhi koe i tētahi whakarāpopoto o ngā whakatau ka whakaritea me ngā mahi hei whai ake i aua whakarite.

Ko ētahi amuamu he taumaha, nā reira ka nui atu pea ngā mahi, ka roa ake pea te wā whakatau. Ki te roa ake te wā ka whakamōhio atu mātou pēhea rawa te wā e hiahiatia ana; ngā take e pērā ai te roa, me te rite tonu o te whakahoki kōrero kia mōhio ai koe e pēhea ana tō take.

What can I do if I am unhappy with the outcome of my complaint?

If a district manager is unable to resolve concerns to your satisfaction you may ask the district manager to arrange a review by the regional manager.

You may contact the Group Manager for Special Education (GSE) Barbara Disley or the Secretary for Education if you are still not satisfied following the review.

There are other agencies that may (in certain circumstances) be able to respond to your concerns. You should contact the agencies listed below directly to determine your eligibility for their services.

• Health and Disability Commission (0800 11 22 33 or http://www.hdc.org.nz) can assist if your complaint relates to a service that falls under the New Zealand Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights. A full guide to their functions is available on their website.
• The Office of the Ombudsmen (0800 802 602 or http://www.ombudsmen.govt.nz) inquire into complaints raised against New Zealand central, regional and local government organisations or agencies. Find out more about their functions from their website.
• The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (0800 803 909 or http://www.privacy.org.nz) can assist with any matters covered by the Privacy Act. A full guide to their functions is available on their website.

Ka pēhea mehemea kāore au i te rata ki te whakatatūtanga o taku amuamu?

Ki te kore e taea e te kaiwhakahaere o tōu wāhi te whakatau kia tau ai ōu whakaaro, ka taea e koe te tono ki a ia, kia tiro anōtia e te Pouwhakahaere - A - Rohe.

Ka taea hoki e koe te whakapā atu ki te Pouwhakahaere Matua o He Tohu Umanga Mātauranga (GSE) a Barbara Disley, ki te Hēkeretari o te Mātauranga rānei, ki te kore tonu e tau pai ki a koe i muri i te tirohanga tuarua.

Arā anō ētahi atu pokapū ka āhei pea koe ki te whakapā atu (he take anō e āhei ai), hei urupare ki ō āwangawanga. Whakapā atu ki ngā pokapū kua rārangitia ki raro iho nei, kia mōhio ai koe mehemea ka āhei anō koe ki ō rātou ratonga.

• Te Toihau Hauora, Hauātanga (0800 11 22 33 http://www.hdc.org.nz rānei). Ka taea e rātou te āwhina mai mehemea e āhei ana tō amuamu i raro i ngā whakarite a te New Zealand Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers Rights. He aratohu whānui ō ā rātou mahi kei tā rātou pae whakaata.
• Ngā Kaitiaki Mana Tangata (0800 802 602 http://www.ombudsmen.govt.nz rānei). Titiro ai tēnei tari ki ngā amuamu ka whakaputaina mō ngā pokapū me ngā pūtahi te Puku o te Ika, o ngā rohe me ngā Kaunihera ā-rohe. Tirohia ā rātou mahi i tā rātou pae whakaata.
• Te Mana Matapono Matatapu (0800 803 909 http://www.privacy.org.nz rānei). Ka taea e rātou te āwhina ake i ngā take e pā ana ki te Ture Tūmataiti, ara te Privacy Act. He aratohu whānui ō ā rātou mahi kei tā rātou pae whakaata.

To discuss your complaint with us, contact your nearest district manager.