Paparoa Street School
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If you believe a tamaiti is in immediate danger, phone the police on 111. If you are concerned about the wellbeing of a tamaiti, or want to discuss, report, or refer a concern, contact Oranga Tamariki on 0508 326 459 or contact@ot.govt.nz.
Abuse recognition and reporting processes at Paparoa Street School are part of our wider Child Protection policy, which applies to all kaimahi kura, contractors, and volunteers, and is available to our kura community. These procedures fulfil our requirements under the Children's Act (s. 14) to provide information on identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect.
We expect kaimahi to be alert to changes in ākonga wellbeing or behaviour, and to recognise signs of neglect and abuse. We acknowledge that recognising, sharing, and responding to these concerns as early as possible is key to improving health outcomes for our ākonga. The tumuaki assures the poari matua each year that kaimahi are aware of indicators of abuse, and are familiar with our procedures for reporting abuse.
At Paparoa Street School, our designated child protection person is the tumuaki, who is the primary point of contact for concerns about ākonga, including concerns about abuse or neglect. The designated child protection person is available and accessible to all other kaimahi, and has experience and training in responding to child protection concerns.
Paparoa Street School works with Oranga Tamariki and the New Zealand Police where appropriate, and liaises with partner agencies and community organisations to support early interventions, with the goal of safe and effective abuse response. We share information with appropriate agencies if it is in the best interests of an ākonga and will support their wellbeing or safety.
Overview of abuse response procedures at Paparoa Street School:
Recognising and responding to concerns
Ākonga safety and welfare is the primary concern of Paparoa Street School kaimahi. Our kaimahi are trained to be alert to changes in ākonga wellbeing or behaviour, and to recognise signs of neglect and abuse. Information sharing provisions allow kaimahi to share safety and wellbeing concerns, which includes low-level wellbeing concerns through to observations or disclosures of abuse and neglect. If it is in the best interest of an ākonga, kaimahi are encouraged to proactively and voluntarily share information with other people or organisations who may be able to help.
We advise kaimahi not to act alone when responding to child abuse concerns. This is to protect our kaimahi, and to avoid prejudicing any legal action. Unless there is immediate danger to an ākonga, kaimahi should consult with the designated child protection person or contact Oranga Tamariki. The designated child protection person reviews any relevant information and decides how best to support the ākonga. This may include sharing information with external agencies, or making a 
report of concern.
If concerns raised by kaimahi or ākonga disclosures do not warrant a report of concern, the designated child protection person reviews any other evidence to see if there are repeated concerns relating to ākonga or their family. The designated child protection person decides if combined evidence meets a higher concern threshold and should be reported. The designated child protection person may organise extra support for the ākonga and/or partner with external agencies to address ākonga needs.
Recognising abuse
Child abuse is defined as harm (whether physically, emotionally, or sexually), ill-treatment, abuse, neglect, or deprivation of any tamaiti or young person (Oranga Tamariki Act 1989, s. 2). Neglect is the most common form of abuse, and is defined as the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs.
Abuse and neglect are more likely to be recognised through observations of behaviour or physical indicators than through direct disclosures. We ensure that kaimahi are able to identify signs of abuse and neglect, and encourage concerns to be shared with the designated child protection person.
For a guide to definitions and indicators of child abuse, see the documents below. These provide examples in different situations of abuse, but are not a definitive list. For any queries, we recommend sharing concerns with our designated child protection person or Oranga Tamariki.
See Definitions of Child Abuse 
Managing disclosure
While abuse is usually recognised through observation, ākonga may willingly or accidentally disclose abuse. In this situation, we handle disclosure with care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the ākonga, and to avoid prejudicing any legal action.
Any person who receives a disclosure is advised to:
We encourage kaimahi to seek support for themselves in the event of abuse disclosure, either from a relevant support person at the kura or through external support services.
Allegations against kaimahi
Child abuse concerns involving kaimahi may come about through observation or disclosure. These may reflect conduct within the kura environment, but we also respond to allegations regarding kaimahi behaviour outside of kura. Any allegations against kaimahi are taken seriously and dealt with as a matter of urgency. If someone has been accused of abuse, the kura may take steps to prevent contact between that person and ākonga at the kura.
Any allegations against kaimahi should be reported to the tumuaki. If a concern involves the tumuaki, it should be reported to the kaihono. See Protected Disclosure for the procedures that ensure kaimahi feel confident they can raise concerns without fear of retaliation.
The kura reports allegations of child abuse by kaimahi to Oranga Tamariki and the police. It is the responsibility of these authorities to assess any evidence and investigate whether child abuse has occurred. The kura does not directly investigate allegations.
While ākonga safety is our primary concern, we follow a fair disciplinary process in cases of alleged abuse. We uphold the rights of kaimahi to respond to allegations and seek independent advice. During an investigation by Oranga Tamariki or the police, the kura does not conduct its own internal investigations that may prejudice an external decision.
We protect any actual or potential legal action by following the advice of authorities in terms of contact with ākonga, family/whānau, and those facing allegations. If there is insufficient evidence for a criminal prosecution, and following the advice of authorities, the kura may conduct its own internal investigation.
Abuse and neglect are classed as a serious breach of the Code of Professional Responsibility | Ngā Tikanga Matatika under the Teaching Council Rules 2016 (Part 3). If we have reason to believe that a kaiako has engaged in this type of serious misconduct, we make a mandatory report to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa.
Sharing information and reporting abuse
Under the information sharing provisions of the Oranga Tamariki Act, kaimahi may proactively share information with other approved professionals (e.g. relevant members of kaimahi, the poari matua, and social, family, and community services) if it is in the best interests of the ākonga. The decision to share information can be in response to general wellbeing concerns about an ākonga as well as concerns of neglect and abuse.
Paparoa Street School makes decisions about whether to report concerns to Oranga Tamariki or the police based on all available information. The reporting process may also involve other external agencies to identify and address ākonga needs. The kura consults with Oranga Tamariki and the police as required to decide who informs parents and/or caregivers, and when.
For further detail about the information that Paparoa Street School is able to share and request, see Sharing Ākonga Personal Information with External Agencies.
Storing information
We record all information in writing and keep this securely in a child protection file. The designated child protection person refers to this information when making decisions based on further evidence.
We store all information, including records documenting concerns, conversations, advice received, actions taken (including rationale), and any warnings issued, in accordance with our Privacy and Kura Records Retention and Disposal procedures.
The tumuaki assures the poari matua each year that kaimahi are engaged with the Abuse Recognition and Reporting policy, including indicators of abuse and procedures for reporting abuse. See Review Schedule and Poari Matua Assurances.
Release history: Term 4 2022, Term 2 2022, Term 4 2020, Term 4 2019, Term 3 2019
