What happens when I call the hotline?
Making a report about anti-social and extremist behaviour is simple. The non-government School Safety and Response Hotline is open 24/7, 365 days per year. Calls related to anti-social and extremist behaviour are taken from all NSW schools. The Hotline will have Police in attendance. The hotline is managed by NSW Department of Education staff but is accessible to all NSW schools.
When reporting to the Hotline, you will need to provide as much information as possible. This will include:
- Information on what has led to your report eg. what has occurred/been reported/been witnessed
- Details of the staff/student(s) involved
- Details of any other persons that may be linked to the situation
- Any other relevant information about the staff/ student(s) e.g. other Police history, other relevant information regarding any issues at home or suspensions/expulsions history, which may help establish the level of threat.
The more information you can provide when reporting to the Hotline, the better. The person making the report should have the staff member who raised the issue with them, if possible, when making the report, in case they are able to provide additional information in response to the questions the incident support officer will ask.
Once the information has been taken it will be assessed and a decision made about who will need a copy of the report. A copy of all incidents will be provided to NSW Police at least monthly and depending on the circumstances it may be escalated immediately for appropriate consideration and action.
The report will also be provided to the case management team in the Case Management and Specialist Support Unit. They will review the incident and contact the school where required.
Reporting Process
In summary, the reporting process for anti-social and extremist behaviour incidents is:
- Report to non-government School Safety and Response Hotline - Information disseminated to relevant stakeholders
- Report referred to Case Management and Specialist Support Unit - Case manager makes immediate contact with school to assess the incident and commence case management
- Specialist Support Team receives a referral if appropriate - Team leader contacts the school to offer advice and support