Reporting of Suspected or Actual Child Abuse and Neglect

Protocol between the Ministry of Education, the New Zealand School Trustees Association and Child, Youth and Family 2009

The Ministry of Education, the New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA) and Child, Youth and Family (CYF) are committed to ensuring a safe and supportive learning environment for all students.  The following protocol and guidelines will assist boards of trustees, principals and school staff in dealing with child abuse and neglect, and the management of child abuse allegations against board employees.

Section 15 of the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989 (CYP&F Act) provides that:

Any person who believes that any child or young person has been, or is likely to be, harmed (whether physically, emotionally, or sexually), ill-treated, abused, neglected or deprived may report the matter to a social worker or a constable.

As part of its responsibilities CYF promotes, by education and publicity, awareness of child abuse, the unacceptability of child abuse, the ways in which child abuse may be prevented, the need to report cases of child abuse, and the ways in which child abuse may be reported.

Part of that work is through the development and implementation of protocols for agencies (both governmental and non-governmental) and professional and occupational groups in relation to the reporting of child abuse, and monitoring the effectiveness of such protocols.

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Reporting of suspected or actual child abuse and neglect (word)

Reporting of suspected or actual child abuse and neglect (pdf)