Educators and School Leaders
Protecting children where they learn & grow
Schools and educators in Aotearoa play a crucial role in supporting the safety and wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi. Because children spend a significant portion of their day at school, teachers and support staff are uniquely positioned to notice concerns, respond early, and promote wellbeing.
Alongside their important teaching role, educators often support a wide range of wellbeing needs within their classrooms and school communities. As curriculum expectations and professional responsibilities continue to evolve, schools balance teaching and learning with their important role in supporting and protecting children.
Under the Children’s Act 2014, schools are required to have child protection policies in place. These policies help guide staff in recognising concerns and responding appropriately. Beyond legal compliance, schools are often the first place where concerns about a child’s safety and wellbeing are noticed.
What we're hearing
Through our work with schools and early learning centres across Aotearoa, Child Matters has engaged with educators who are increasingly noticing tamariki and rangatahi face a range of challenges, including:
Abuse and neglect
Family harm
Online harm and digital safety
Bullying
Mental health and self-harm
Harmful sexual behaviour
Disengagement and attendance decline
What this can mean
Research shows that experiences such as these can sometimes affect a child’s ability to focus, regulate emotions, or fully engage in learning - meaning they may display behavioural issues. Tamariki and rangatahi may not always recognise or disclose harm they are experiencing, which means incidents can escalate quickly and cause significant stress without support and/or intervention.
When educators are met with the right tools and training for managing complex wellbeing and behavioural needs - alongside education and learning needs - they can play a powerful role in identifying and responding to child protection concerns.
Building a strong child protection culture
Child Matters is passionate about supporting schools to create environments where children flourish and feel safe. A strong child protection culture goes beyond complying with policy requirements - it is about creating a shared commitment to the wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi.
Creating a robust child protection culture includes:
Leadership commitment to child safety
Clear, accessible, and practical policies
Ongoing staff training and professional development
Strong partnerships with whānau and the wider community
Listening to and empowering tamariki and rangatahi
Continuous review and strengthening of child protection practices
Child Matters is here to help
Child Matters provides end-to-end child protection support for early childhood education, primary schools, and secondary schools. Child protection training equips educators with practical knowledge in recognising signs of abuse or neglect, and the skills to respond confidently and effectively.
We can also support schools through incident reviews or investigations, undertake audits of child protection procedures, and assist with developing and implementing child protection frameworks and policies. Additionally, our team of child protection experts can provide free advice when guidance may be needed for a child protection incident.
WATCH: Your child protection obligations as a Board
Jane Searle and Andrea Twaddle remind School Boards that child protection isn’t just a policy - it’s a culture. Every Board has a duty to lead, resource, and embed practices that keep children safe, uphold their mana, and prioritise wellbeing across the whole school community.
