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Keeping Ourselves Safe: Information for teachers

The New Zealand Police recommends that schools use the learning activities in Keeping Ourselves Safe within a whole-school approach as described in the intervention planning tool (PDF, 321KB).

How teachers can support Keeping Ourselves Safe

Teachers are strongly encouraged to support Keeping Ourselves Safe by:

  • considering their attitudes and values towards child abuse and the importance of addressing child abuse as part of a broad and balanced curriculum
  • increasing their understanding about child abuse and the use of effective pedagogies
  • advocating for their school to include both prevention and response procedures in the school's child protection policy
  • monitoring the effectiveness of Keeping Ourselves Safe using tools such as Wellbeing@school surveys

Resources for teachers

Implementation guide

This guide contains essential information for preparing your school and staff to implement Keeping Ourselves Safe.

Presentations

You can adapt these sample presentations for staff and parent/whānau meetings.

Classroom resources

Curriculum-linked, age-related, and evaluated learning activities.

Supporting information

Other key resources

Frequently asked questions

Why should the school include Keeping Ourselves Safe in an ongoing way?

 

Children need abuse prevention education throughout their schooling, as their needs and experiences change. They need to have the opportunity to practise skills and to have the learning reinforced.

 

Why is it important for schools to report abuse?

 

Oranga Tamariki and Police are obliged to follow up cases. Once a child has reported abuse, the personal healing process can start. The school can play an important part in this.

 

Supposing the child reports to someone who doesn’t listen?

 

The first person may not be the right person. Children need to keep on telling until someone listens and acts.

 

How can we maintain confidentiality over a disclosure?

 

The school’s protocol for reporting abuse should carefully limit the people who need to become involved.

 

Our policy states we should report the abuse to a designated person in the school, but they don’t pass it on to Police or Oranga Tamariki. What should we do?

 

It is time to review the policy and have the reporting protocols changed. Seek support from the Board of Trustees for this. Any individual can, of course, report abuse.

 

Does this mean that I can’t touch a child or be alone with one?

 

You must comply with your school policies on professional conduct and safe practice. Teachers will come into physical contact with students and this is acceptable when carried out in a professional and responsible manner that is age appropriate. You should have another child or adult present whenever possible.

These links provide advice from the Ministry of Education and sector professional bodies: