Problems affecting ability to teach
A health issue or other problem could affect the teacher’s ability to teach or their conduct. The Impairment Committee will assess how serious and what help is needed.
What is an impairment
An “impairment” is anything about a teacher’s physical or mental health, or personality, that may negatively affect their ability to teach competently and safely. It could include, for example, an alcohol or drug addiction, a mental health condition like depression, or a personality trait like an anger problem.
Voluntary impairment assessment
During the conduct or competence processes a possible “impairment” issue affecting the teacher’s ability to teach may become apparent. In these situations, a teacher may be offered the opportunity to voluntarily undergo an impairment assessment. This assessment is undertaken by the chairperson of the Impairment Committee (a registered medical practitioner) and is confidential to the chairperson and the investigator/competence evaluator. The assessment will result in a summary report by the chairperson.
The purpose of this voluntary process is to assist the teacher and the investigator/competence evaluator to understand what has been happening and what support might be required. The summary report may be provided to the decision-making body in that process to assist in determining an appropriate outcome.
Impairment Committee assessment
When a teacher is referred for an assessment by a decision-making body, an impairment assessment process is undertaken.
The impairment process will assess possible impairment issues that have been referred to it or identified in the voluntary impairment process.
It will consider:
- what the problem is and how it might affect the teacher’s ability to teach competently and safely
- what the teacher has already done, or is planning to do, to deal with the problem – for example, treatment for a drug or alcohol problem
- what precautions the employer might need to put in place to enable the teacher to teach effectively
- what help the teacher might need to teach competently and safely
- if requested, it may also assess whether a teacher was impaired at the time of conduct or competence concerns.
To help evaluate the problem, the Teaching Council may ask for a written report from a doctor, or other health professional, or ask the teacher to have an assessment by a health professional.
Though the teacher does not have to agree to this assessment, not doing so may prevent the Teaching Council from working with the teacher to make a recommendation to the referring body on next steps. The teacher can also provide medical reports or other relevant records from medical professionals they would like to be considered.
The teacher is entitled to see any report from a health professional who assesses them. They also have the right to be present if a health professional, or other person, meets with the Teaching Council.
The Impairment process ends with a report back with recommendations to the body that referred the case to it.
Temporary measures for serious risks
The Impairment Committee can make an interim risk report to the body that referred the issue, if it has reasonable grounds to believe the teacher’s impairment poses a serious risk to students, colleagues or the teacher.