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When making a decision about your school’s response to student behaviour, it may be helpful to think about situations when other people could be involved.
Contacting people within the school
When managing an incident of student behaviour it is important for boards to determine exactly what happened, who was involved and who should be involved.
Ask these questions of your school
Do we know exactly what happened? Do we know the facts? Refer to Section 2: 6. Investigation and interviewing
Investigation and interviewing
Do we know who was involved, both directly and indirectly? Did the behaviour involve one or more students? Did it involve bystanders, witnesses or electronic media such as the internet and/or cellphones?
Are there religious or cultural values to consider? Is a translator needed?
Do we know the effect of the behaviour on the student/s involved, the school and the local community? Can we deal with this matter in another way? Refer to Section 2: 8. Effects on others
Do we need to inform all school staff? Does the local Social Worker in School, Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour or public health nurse need to be notified?
Does our Learning support needs coordinator need to be involved? Does our guidance counsellor/transition/careers advisor need to be involved?
Contacting people within the community
Sometimes, an incident of student behaviour can have wider implications.
Ask these questions of your school
Are there immediate safety issues for our students or school?
Do emergency services need to be contacted? Do we have an updated list of emergency service contacts? Does our insurance company need to be contacted?
Do we suspect abuse of any kind? Does it need to be reported to others?
Contacting other professional people or agencies
Depending on the nature of the incident, it may be appropriate for your school to contact other agencies.
Ask these questions of your school
Do we know the full details about the situation and the behaviour? Do we call the Police if the behaviour has broken the law?
Have we considered contacting the regional Ministry office to discuss support? For example, Interim Response Fund, Refugee and Migrant Education Coordinator, Learning Support.
Do we need to notify the local Ministry Traumatic Incident Coordinator? Do we have an up-to-date traumatic incident response plan and team?
Note: Reporting to other agencies
Police should be called to investigate any incidents involving drugs, assault and serious dishonesty. The Police have the powers to conduct searches and investigations about illegal matters.
Any immediate safety issues concerning a student or school should be reported to the Police. When a serious incident occurs, it is important that schools involve the Police and not leave this task to parents.
Any issues concerning the welfare of a student under the age of 16 years should be reported to Oranga Tamariki.
Examples
Examples of situations where students may face a stand-down or suspension and the school has involved other people.
Example 1
A 14-year-old boy was assaulted on school grounds after school hours during a school team sports practice. The student sustained injuries requiring hospital treatment. The incident was recorded on a cellphone by another student and teachers were informed that the video clip was posted on the internet.
The school contacted the sports coach, and the parents of the children concerned, about the incident. The Police were contacted to intercept the video recording and block the internet site. Oranga Tamariki were contacted as both boys involved were under 16 years. All school staff and parents were informed of the incident. New policies were put in place covering supervision of students at after-school sports practice as well as cellphone use.
The principal suspended and the board later extended the suspension. The board imposed a number of conditions aimed at returning the student to school.
Example 2
A student was a chronic truant and had a complex family situation involving siblings at another school – prostitution, drugs, violence and gang connections. The principal referred the student to Strengthening Families and a meeting was held between the 2 schools. Work and Income, Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities, Oranga Tamariki, and Police Youth Aid were also involved. However, the family refused to attend. The outcome was a combined intervention by the Police and Oranga Tamariki for the student. The secondary outcome was a strengthened relationship between the schools and agencies involved.
Useful links
Interim response fund
The Interim Response Fund (IRF), managed by regional Ministry managers, assists schools when student behaviour has reached crisis point.
Contact your local regional office and ask to speak with the development officer managing the Interim Response Fund.
Oranga Tamariki
If you suspect a child or young person is being abused, tell Oranga Tamariki, or the Police.
Oranga Tamariki | Ministry for Children
Phone: 0508 FAMILY (0508 326 459)
When you contact Oranga Tamariki with a concern, this is called making a notification. A notification can be made at any time.
Police
Information about appropriate instances to call the 111 emergency telephone line
111 Police Emergency – New Zealand Police
Information about Police districts and areas
Police districts – New Zealand Police
Information for schools on partnership with police
School Portal – New Zealand Police
YouthLaw Aotearoa
YouthLaw Aotearoa is a free community law centre for children and young people nationwide. Legal advice can be obtained from YouthLaw directly.
Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa (formerly NZSTA) New Zealand School Boards Association
Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa (formerly NZSTA) is the voice of school boards in New Zealand, providing services to New Zealand’s 2,500 state and state-integrated schools and kura.
Advice and support – Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa | NZ School Boards Association
