A range of services is available to support families, including translation and interpreter services, adult education, adult English programs and telephone counselling services.
Role of the ARCO
The ARCO is the contact between students, staff, parents and community members who wish to make a complaint regarding racism and the appropriate procedure that will be used to resolve the complaint, including the person who will have responsibility for dealing with the complaint - the delegate. The ARCO's role can be described under four headings:
Mediator role
On receiving a complaint the ARCO, in certain circumstances, may attempt to negotiate an informal resolution.
Procedural role
If an informal resolution is not appropriate or satisfactory, then the complainant has the option of lodging a formal complaint.
The ARCO may assist the complainant in writing the complaint, if appropriate.
The ARCO may be asked to assist in seeking a resolution through the appropriate formal procedure but it is not the ARCO's role to lead the process. It is the delegate's role to lead the process.
In most cases complaints regarding racism are dealt with using the Complaints Handling Policy Guidelines.
Educational role
The ARCO can assist the Principal to:
- Ensure the school community is aware that the school has an ARCO, who the ARCO is and what the ARCO role involves. Posters promoting awareness of the role and identity of the ARCO are available in Anti-Racism Education Programs and Resources.
- Ensure that staff are aware of the Anti-Racism Policy, the Cultural Diversity and Community Relations Policy: Multicultural education in schools and the Complaints Handling Policy, including the complaints procedures as they relate to complaints about racism, and the Aboriginal Education and Training Strategy 2006 - 2008.
- Promote anti-racism education in the school.
Monitoring role
The ARCO can assist the Principal to:
- maintain records of suggestions, complaints and allegations concerning racism
- decide what statistics regarding complaints about racism would be useful to collect
- alert the school's executive and welfare team to significant statistical trends.
If a complaint is resolved then further action is not required but the situation will need to be monitored.
It is important to note that the Principal is responsible for ensuring that the Anti-Racism Policy is implemented in the school and that complaints regarding racism are dealt with in accordance with the Complaints Handling Policy Guidelines.