When the school does not act: inspection, complaints and legal routes

Terms used

• Inspección educativa — The inspección educativa is the regional education body that supervises schools and checks how they handle bullying.
• Denuncia — A denuncia is a formal report to the police, a court or the prosecutor that a possible crime has happened.
• Fiscalía de Menores — The Fiscalía de Menores is the prosecutor's office that handles offences committed by people aged 14 to 17.
• Defensor del Pueblo — The Defensor del Pueblo is Spain's national ombudsman, who investigates complaints about public administrations.

Key rules

• Emergency: If your child is in danger, call 112 and do not wait for the school.
• Written record: Put your concern to the school management in writing before going to the inspection or an ombudsman.
• Ombudsman: Ombudsmen cover public bodies and public schools, not private disputes, and have a time limit of generally one year.
• Age 14: Criminal responsibility starts at 14; under 14 there is no criminal liability.

If your child is in danger, do not escalate step by step

Call 112 now. Do this when your child is in imminent danger, being physically attacked, at risk of self-harm or needs urgent medical help. Do not wait for school procedures. You can also call the police directly: 091 (Policía Nacional) or 062 (Guardia Civil). For suicidal thoughts, the 024 helpline answers at any hour.

Once things are safe, write down what happened and report it to the school and, if needed, the prosecutor.

Step 1: Put your complaint to the school in writing

Before you go further, make sure the school management has your concern in writing. Keep a copy with the date. Inspectors and ombudsmen will ask what you told the school and what it did. The checklist and warnings below cover what to keep.

Step 2: Go to the inspección educativa

The inspección educativa is the regional education body that supervises schools. In bullying cases it checks that the school applied the protocol and took measures. It advises the school and can mediate. It can also require the school to correct what it did wrong. It covers public, concertada and private schools.

Go to it if the school did not act, did not apply the protocol, or you disagree with the result.

How to file. Submit a written letter (a solicitud) at:

• the inspection office,
• the school,
• the education delegation's registry, or
• your region's electronic office.

Some regions also have a complaints form (quejas y sugerencias).

How to find your office.

• Search your region's education department website for "inspección educativa" plus your province.
• Ask the school secretaría. Every school has a reference inspector.
• Call 060, the citizen information line, which can redirect you.

In Ceuta and Melilla, the Ministry of Education handles this. Forms and portals differ by region, so check your regional site.

Step 3: Complain to an ombudsman

The Defensor del Pueblo is the national ombudsman. Anyone can use it, including foreign residents, and it is free. You can file online, by post or in person. Many regions have their own, such as the Síndic de Greuges in Catalonia and Valencia, the Ararteko in the Basque Country, or the Defensor del Pueblo Andaluz with its Defensor del Menor.

• They deal with public bodies and public schools, not private disputes.
• They usually expect you to have complained to the administration first.
• They cannot overturn decisions. They can investigate, ask for reports and make recommendations.
• There is a time limit, generally one year.

Step 4: Report a possible crime

Report when the facts may be a crime. Examples are injuries, threats, coercion, harassment, sexual offences, online harassment, or sharing someone's private information. Whether it is a crime is decided by the prosecutor or a judge.

File a denuncia at:

• a police station (Policía Nacional or Guardia Civil),
• the duty court (juzgado de guardia), or
• the provincial Fiscalía de Menores directly.

Bring a written account, evidence such as messages and screenshots, and any medical reports. The prosecutor investigates and may propose educational measures or mediation. Schools must also report serious facts.

What happens depending on the other child's age

Criminal responsibility starts at 14. Pupils aged 14 to 17 face juvenile proceedings with educational measures. Under 14 there is no criminal liability. In that case the case goes to child protection services, and the school and family apply educational and disciplinary measures. Civil liability for damage remains, and parents or the school can be liable.

Use the decision, contacts and FAQ below to choose your route.

Choosing between options

Should you call emergency services, report to the Fiscalía de Menores or police, or keep to school and inspection channels?

• Call 112 or the police now: Your child is in imminent danger, is being physically attacked, faces serious threats, may harm themselves, has been sexually assaulted or needs urgent medical help. Do not wait for the school.

• File a denuncia with the police, court or Fiscalía de Menores: The facts may be a crime, such as injuries, threats, coercion, harassment, sexual offences or online harassment. Pupils aged 14 to 17 are dealt with by the Fiscalía de Menores. Bring a written complaint, evidence and medical reports.

• Escalate to the inspección educativa: The school did not act, did not apply the protocol, or you disagree with the result, and there is no crime or emergency.

If there is danger now, call 112. If the facts may be a crime, report them to the police or Fiscalía de Menores. Otherwise, go to the inspección educativa.

What to watch out for

• Waiting for school procedures in an emergency: If your child is in imminent danger, being attacked, at risk of self-harm or needs urgent medical help, school procedures are too slow. Call 112 straight away, or the police on 091 (Policía Nacional) or 062 (Guardia Civil). For suicidal thoughts, the 024 helpline is open at any hour. Afterwards, document the facts and report them to the school.

• Going to the inspection without a written record: The inspección educativa works best when you can show the school was told and did not act or did not apply the protocol. Without written proof, your complaint is harder to back up. Raise the matter with the school management in writing first. Then send a written letter (solicitud) to the inspection office, the school, the education delegation's registry or the regional electronic office.

• Missing the time limit with an ombudsman: The Defensor del Pueblo and regional ombudsmen, such as the Defensor del Menor in Andalusia, only admit complaints within a time limit, generally one year. They usually require that you first complained to the administration. Complain to the school and the inspección first, keep the replies, and file with the ombudsman well within a year.

Who to contact about bullying in Spain

Who to contact about bullying

• The school's coordinador de bienestar y protección (the staff member in charge of wellbeing and protection): Ask the school secretaría for the coordinator's name, then raise your concern with them. They coordinate the school's anti-bullying protocols. Formal reports usually go to the director or the tutor.

• Inspección educativa (education inspection) in your region: Ask for the inspector assigned to your child's school at the school secretaría. You can also search your regional education department's website for 'inspección educativa' plus your province, or call 060 for help finding the office.

• Regional education department's coexistence service: Look under 'convivencia' or 'acoso escolar' on your regional education department's website for the bullying phone line, email or form. Most regions have one. If yours does not, use the national helpline.

• National bullying helpline: Call 900 018 018, free and confidential, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Students, families and teachers can get advice from psychologists and legal guidance. You can also use the online form or chat.

• INCIBE's 017 line, Spain's cybersecurity helpline: Call 017 for cyberbullying, from 8:00 to 23:00 every day. It is free and confidential. You can also use WhatsApp, Telegram or the web form. It advises on evidence and reporting to platforms. It is not an emergency service: call 112 in an emergency.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find the inspección educativa office for my area?

Search your regional education department's website for "inspección educativa" plus your province, or ask the school secretaría. Each school has a reference inspector, and the school office knows who it is. The 060 citizen information service can also point you to the right office.

Can the Defensor del Pueblo take a bullying complaint about a private school?

No, the Defensor del Pueblo and regional ombudsmen normally deal with public bodies and public schools, not private disputes. They usually expect you to have complained to the administration first, and complaints are generally admitted within one year. They can investigate and make recommendations, but they cannot overturn decisions.

What happens if the child who bullied mine is under 14?

If the child is under 14, there is no criminal liability, so there are no juvenile criminal proceedings. The Fiscalía refers the case to child protection services, and the school and family apply educational and disciplinary measures. You may still be able to claim for damage under civil law, and parents or the school can be liable.

Where can I file a denuncia for bullying that may be a crime?

You can file a denuncia at a police station (Policía Nacional or Guardia Civil), at the juzgado de guardia, or directly with the Fiscalía de Menores of your province.