If you are under the age of 18 and have a complaint in relation to a school you can make a complaint to the Ombudsman for Children’s Office. Adults can also bring complaints on behalf of children and young people. Parents or extended family members usually bring complaints to the Office on behalf of their children but professionals such as teachers and youth workers can bring complaints too.

Before sending in your complaint you should try, as far as possible, to make your complaint in writing directly to the school or Board of Management and follow their complaint process (i.e. the various steps you have to take when making a complaint to them). If you are still unhappy after receiving their response and after you have followed all of the steps, it may be then be the right time to submit a complaint to the OCO.

However not all complaints about schools, their staff or Board of Management can be examined by this Office. Some may not be covered under the powers this Office has to investigate, while others may be at too early a stage if the school has not had the chance to deal with the problem.

If you are unsure, you can check on the FAQ section of our website or call us on 1800 20 20 40.

Posted in: School Complaint