Children's workers
Your school is responsible for doing a safety check on children's workers. This includes a risk assessment for registered teachers who have been Police vetted as part of their Teaching Council certification.
This is required under the Children’s Act 2014 and the Children’s (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children’s Workers) Regulations 2015.
Children’s Act 2014 – New Zealand Legislation
Contractors
Contractors who are engaged by schools as children’s workers must undergo a full safety check as required by the Children’s Act.
If children’s workers in your school are contracted by other organisations, your school is responsible for confirming they have undergone a safety check.
School property contractors
Contractors who are not children's workers but are likely to have unsupervised access to students at the school during normal school hours must undergo a Police vet and risk assessment. That includes contractors who work on construction projects managed by your school or by us during school hours.
This is a requirement under the Education and Training Act.
Contractors who will not have unsupervised access to students at the school during normal school hours do not need a Police vet.
The board is responsible for completing a school access plan with contractors. This will help clarify who needs a Police vet.
School access planVolunteers
As with all child protection matters, safety of children must come first. You should consider whether volunteers at school or participating in school activities should be Police vetted. Volunteers do not need to be Police vetted by law.
School policies and procedures should clearly indicate requirements about Police vetting volunteers.
Tertiary education providers
Schools can also rely on confirmation from tertiary education organisations when hosting their students.
Schools must make sure students are safe on work placements.
Overseas workers
The Teaching Council has guidance about police clearances for workers who come from other countries.
Overseas police clearance – Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand
Core worker exemptions
Under the Children's Act 2014, it is unlawful to employ a core children’s worker with an offence, unless they hold a core worker exemption.
Te Kāhui Kāhu has information about how to apply for an exemption.
Children’s Act 2014: Workplace restriction – New Zealand Legislation
Children’s Act 2014: Specified offences – New Zealand Legislation
