Child Protection Policy

Adopted 17th June 2019
Next review date: July 2027 (Reviewed Triennially)

Policy Statement
KingsGate School will ensure the well-being and safety of children, including the prevention of child abuse or maltreatment. The interests of the child will be the chief consideration when any action is taken in response to suspected abuse or neglect. KingsGate School commits to supporting the statutory agencies (Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children) and the New Zealand Police) in investigating abuse. It will report suspected cases and concerns to these agencies in accordance with the process outlined in KingsGate School’s Child Protection Policy. 

Procedures 
Staff will not assume responsibility beyond their level of experience and training. All staff and volunteers who deal directly with students unsupervised will be police vetted as part of standard practice. 
The principle of natural justice shall be applied to all allegations.

Biblical Principle
The Bible makes clear that children are precious and a gift from Him (Psa 127:3), that their vulnerability should never be exploited (Mat 18:16), and that He has committed children into our care for our protection (Jas 1:27).

Purpose
Where there are suspected or disclosed instances of child abuse, KingsGate staff will follow the procedures set out in the KingsGate School Procedures. 
Guardians/Caregivers will be fully informed by the Principal, in consultation with the statutory agency, of alleged abuse, except when it is believed that the child could be put at risk.
Appropriate staff will receive periodic training on identifying and reporting abuse. For more information, refer to “Breaking the Cycle: An Interagency Guide to Child Abuse,” Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children).
NZ Police vetting will be required for all non-teaching staff and unsupervised volunteers at KingsGate School. Regular volunteers must be police-vetted, and non-regular volunteers should be police-vetted at the principal's discretion.