LawSense Dealing With Difficult Parents Masterclass

Dealing with Challenging Scenarios, Managing Communications, Meetings & Media, Optimising Staff Training, Implementing Best Practice Policies & Codes of Conduct,

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Program

SESSION ONE – 13 MARCH 2026 – LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND COMPLEX SCENARIOS

12.00    LawSense Welcome

12.05    Chairperson’s Introduction

Rev Chris Ivey, Headmaster, Somerset College

12.10    Understanding the ‘Difficult Parent’ and Examining the Relevant Legal Framework

• Exploring the sources of parent complaints in schools and understanding the difficult parent
• Understanding the applicable laws, including contracts, duty of care and new laws on managing psychosocial hazards to staff in schools
• Examining how the new laws on psychosocial hazards affect management by the school of parent interactions
• Examining the school’s obligations in practice to students and staff in managing difficult parents
• Understanding when and how you can implement more robust options:
  • restricting or limiting communication with the parent
  • restricting the parent from involvement in school activities
  • banning a parent from a school
  • terminating the enrolment of the student because of parent conduct

Navigating Complex Complaints Including Student Disability, Separated Parents, Responses to Student Discipline, Parents on Social Media, Terminating Enrolment from Parent Conduct

‘Vexatious’ Parents Bullying Staff

• Assessing whether a parent is “vexatious” or bullying staff
• Understanding what particular legal rights and obligations apply
• Considering the approach that should be taken

Parents of Students with a Disability

• Exploring common causes of complaint escalation and conflict
• Following a process and consulting to ensure you have a defensible position
• Responding to parent requests to provide certain adjustments
• Exploring approaches and outcomes where parents pursue discrimination proceedings against a school
• Understanding the School’s role
• Exploring unique challenges in dealing with parents in conflict including
  • parents demanding information
  • attending school contrary to Court Orders
  • contrary views of parents on student issues
  • school fee disputes

Parent With a Disability/Neurodivergent

• Dealing with neurodivergent parents or parents with a disability affecting the relationship with the school and staff

Responses to Student Discipline

• Procedural fairness, documentation and avoiding the landmines

Online Criticism

• Responding to posts or messages online – understanding the legal position of the school and/or staff targeted and potential pitfalls
• Approaching websites, blogs or social media platforms to have material removed. What are your options where material is hosted offshore?
• Effectively dealing with the parent posting the material

Staff Who Are Parents, Relatives or Family Friends

• Navigating circumstances where staff are parents of a student at the school or there may be another conflict-of-interest conflict including where they are extended family or known friend

Different Cultures and Parent Bias

• Navigating perceived or actual parent bias towards the school staff member

Vexations Complaints by Parents to Regulators

• Dealing with parents making vexatious “weaponized” complaints to regulators about staff, where the staff member is ultimately cleared

Terminating a Student’s Enrolment Because of a Parent’s Conduct

• Examining when you can terminate a student’s enrolment because of the conduct of parents
• Documenting parent conduct, school processes and decision-making to ensure the termination of enrolment is legally defensible

John Hamilton, Principal, McInnes Wilson Lawyers

1.40      Closing Remarks

1.45      Session Close

SESSION TWO – 20 MARCH 2026 – BEST PRACTICE POLICIES & PARENT CODE OF CONDUCT

12.00    LawSense Welcome

12.05    Chairperson’s Introduction

Virginia Warner, Principal, St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls, Queensland

12.10    Developing/Updating Policies and Registers to Effectively Manage Difficult Parents and Ensure You Meet Obligations to Staff, Students and Other Parents and Stakeholders

• Exploring best practice frameworks encompassing polices for:
  • receiving, triaging, and escalating parent complaints
  • managing difficult parents
  • exploring implementing a complaints register, including what would be recorded and how
• Examining key objectives in developing effective complaints polices, including ensuring:
  • parents have an appropriate outlet to be heard and are discouraged from ventilating concerns externally
  • there are adequate internal grievance resolution procedures available
  • parent issues are dealt with objectively and sensitively
  • bad school decisions, misconduct, cultural and systemic issues are identified and addressed
  • issues are dealt with by the appropriate person, and in a way which does not undermine the effective operation of the School
• Understanding how policies should be modified to meet your school context
• Examining key content to include in complaints polices and policies addressing difficult parents

Writing and Enforcing an Effective Parent Code of Conduct

• Understanding the potential role of a parent code of conduct in managing difficult parents
• Examining when and how a parent code of conduct should be enforced.
• Examining key aspects to cover in a parent code of conduct
• Communicating the code of conduct to parents and the school community

Exploring Parent “Induction” or “Onboarding” Regarding Expected Conduct and Complaints Processes

• Exploring potential options to “onboard” parents regarding school values and expected conduct with social media, parent groups and the process of complaints

Exploring Best Practice Staff Training to Meet Obligations and Deal with Complaints and Difficult Parents

• Identifying staff roles interacting with difficult parents in schools
• Designing staff training to meet challenges in your school context

Kate Pennicott, Partner, MinterEllison

1.40      Closing Remarks

1.45      Session Close

SESSION THREE – 27 March 2026 – MANAGING COMMUNICATIONS & MEETINGS & IMPLEMENTING STAFF TRAINING

12.00    LawSense Welcome

12.05    Chairperson’s Introduction

Phillip Heath AM, Head of College, Barker College

12.10    Managing Communications, Privacy, Meetings, Mediation and Media to Optimise Management of the Difficult Parent and Protect Your Legal Position

• Developing a communications strategy in dealing with difficult parents
• Navigating potential privacy issues in communicating with parents, including:
  • where it involves communicating consequences or action regarding staff or other students
  • where parents have requested CCTV footage or other records
• Dealing with circumstances where parents are posting your letters on social media
• Exploring options for informal or formal mediation
• Managing communications:
  • when to phone, email, meet, negotiate or mediate
  • dealing with requests by parents to record communications or meetings
  • taking and distributing notes of meetings or other interactions
  • managing meetings or communications where the parent is using or wishes to include a lawyer or barrister
• Using “Without Prejudice” communications to try and negotiate an outcome without prejudicing your legal position
• Exploring best practice letter templates
• Implementing effective record keeping to protect your legal position – understanding what you should record and who should be keeping notes of records
• Knowing when to get lawyers involved

Ben Tallboys, Principal, Russell Kennedy; Legal Consultant to Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA)

1.45      Difficult Parents and Media

• Exploring strategies to mitigate the risks of difficult parents going to the media or providing school communications to the media
• Understanding the media “cycle” and how this informs assessment of potential reputation risk and response
• Managing journalists and their requests for information
• Exploring strategies to influence or control the narrative to optimise accurate reporting or “turn a story around”
• Learning from recent school case studies – what responses have worked well and what not so well

Tracey Cain, Chief Executive Officer, H/Advisors APA

2.25      Closing Remarks

2.30      Session Close

Presenters / panelists include:

	Chris Ivey is the Headmaster of Somerset College, joining from St Andrew’s Anglican College at Peregian Springs where he was Principal from 2007 to 2024. Before this Chris was Principal of Clarence Valley Anglican School in Grafton and Chaplain at Somerset College. Chris was also the Chaplain at Trinity Anglican School in Cairns where he first began teaching. He has taught English, Drama and Religious Education, as well as Directing both school musicals and plays. He has also trained school teams for the Kokoda Challenge. Chris served as the National Chair of AHISA (Association of Heads of Independent Schools, Australia) from 2019 to 2024.
	John Hamilton has a strong track record in advising clients across a wide range of commercial and corporate matters. He possesses specialist knowledge and application in industrial relations matters, including employment and workplace issues, whilst working extensively in the education sector. John has a 25-year track record of managing publicly sensitive issues and delivering results.
	Kate Pennicott has a deep understanding and interest in the unique complexities and challenges in the education and research sectors. Kate partners with universities, research institutes, residential colleges, schools and early learning providers to solve a wide range of legal, regulatory and people problems.
	Phillip Heath AM has been Headmaster of St Andrew’s Cathedral School, Sydney, Principal of Radford College ACT in 2009. He was made a Fellow of the ACT Branch ACEL in 2011 and in 2018 was awarded as a Member in the general division of the Order of Australia for his service to education and his commitment to creating greater opportunities for Indigenous students. Mr Heath was appointed as the Head of Barker College in 2014. Mr Heath has served on the NSW Board of Studies representing the Independent Sector (2000-2009) and is also a past National Chair of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (2013-2015).
	Ben Tallboys provides sector-specific, practical legal solutions to schools across Australia. Ben is a passionate and effective advocate for principals dealing with complex matters relating to parents, staff and students, as well as their own employment.

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