Handling of complaints against teachers in Scotland to be reviewed

The GTCS has now asked the London-based Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care to review its fitness to teach process.

It comes as there has been an increase in the number of open GTCS cases, up from 166 in March 2020 to 203 in July this year.

As of July, the longest running case had been open for seven years and 10 months.

The regulator said the rise in outstanding cases had been caused by the fallout from the Covid pandemic and investigations becoming increasingly complicated.

Education advisor Neil McLennan is one of four campaigners behind a petition being considered by MSPs, external which is calling for an investigation into alleged mishandling of child safeguarding complaints by public bodies.

He said gaps in the GTCS’s fitness to teach process were among many concerns which had been raised by petitioners and whistleblowers.

“Changes to their processes meant that referrals regarding teacher conduct, including the most serious child protection and safeguarding matters, can and were deemed by the GTCS as ‘frivolous’ unless the referral came from the employer,” he said.

“This places much trust in employers and belittles referrals that may have come from well-meaning members of the public, parents, and even children who have a right to access such processes.”