The government takes action to protect children.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Brooke van Velden, has announced a Memorandum of Understanding between her department and the New Zealand Teaching Council to enhance child protection in schools. The agreement aims to improve information sharing about individuals under investigation for child sex abuse material.
Under the current process, the Department of Internal Affairs notifies the New Zealand Police, who then contact the Teaching Council. However, this new arrangement allows the Department to share information directly with the Teaching Council, enabling them to intervene promptly and remove potential offenders from schools. This change also facilitates the sharing of intelligence on child exploitation trends and educator investigations.
The agreement, which comes into effect immediately, is a step towards ongoing cooperation between the two organisations. The Department will continue to notify the New Zealand Police directly as well.