Legal Issues (including Negligence)

The Department of Education can provide advice to principals and teachers on their legal responsibilities when caring for students.
Such advice does not contain directions about how staff are to carry out their functions in such a way that will ensure that they will not later be found legally liable on the grounds that they were negligent. No set of 'guidelines' could ever hope to accomplish this: there is no exhaustive list of ready–made answers which will enable staff to avoid all situations where they may face liability at law.
Nevertheless, teachers have little to fear if they carry out duties in a responsible manner, exhibiting the level of professional knowledge and skill expected of a teacher to look after children and protect them from harm and dangers which can be foreseen.
Principals and all staff should contact the Senior Advisor by email or phone (03) 6233 6092 at the Ministerial & Co-ordination Unit for further information and advice in all legal matters.