The GTCNI Regulation Team is available to give advice in relation to how our regulation process works.
It is important to understand how the team thinks about referrals:
an enquiry includes all general questions or requests for information about the regulation process;
a referral relates to notification about a specific ‘allegation’ of misconduct in regard to a registered teacher from an employer, or conviction of a relevant offence (at any time) from the PSNI, or a restriction from a third party such as another teaching regulator or the DBS;
a complaint relates to a specific ‘allegation’ of misconduct made by a member of the public against a registered teacher, which will only be considered within defined circumstances; and
an allegation is the substantive issue contained in a referral or complaint and means an ‘allegation that a registered person may be guilty of misconduct, or has been convicted (at any time) of a relevant offence’
The majority of referrals are made by an employer following completion of local employer processes or from the police (PSNI).
A complaint will only be considered if you can demonstrate that the same issue has previously been raised with an employer and all local procedures have been completed.
It is important to recognise that GTCNI is not a complaints body. We are a professional body and any allegation that relates to misconduct, or conviction of a relevant offence, received by the Council will only be considered, investigated and heard, in the public interest and in the interests of the teaching profession.