Clinical Workstream for Child Protection

Legislation changes in 2017, resulted in the establishment of Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children (formerly Child Youth and Family). The MOU and schedules that refer to Child, Youth and Family are still operational. The process to review and update the MoU and associated Schedules is in progress.

The Memorandum of Understanding outlines the mutual commitment of Oranga Tamariki (formerly CYF), Police and Te Whatu Ora to work together to try and ensure that good health and safety outcomes for children and young people and their families are achieved. You can view the Memorandum of Understanding here.

The Memorandum of Understanding has four associated schedules. All Te Whatu Ora regions have signed up to the Memorandum of Understanding and Schedules 1,2,3 and 4.

Schedule 1: Children admitted to hospital with suspected or confirmed abuse or neglect
Schedule 2: Oranga Tamariki Te Whatu Ora Liaison Social Worker
Schedule 3: Guideline for the Neglect of Medical Care
Schedule 4: Joint Standard Operating Procedures for Children in Clandestine Laboratories

Additional schedules are likely to be added over time, and when approved will be published on this website.

The Memorandum of Understanding requires that all Reports of Concern that Te Whatu Ora make by phone (0508 326459) will also be made in writing. 

The standardised Report of Concern template should be used when making referrals to Oranga Tamariki. The Report of Concern is available as a word document that can be downloaded here and filled in.

The Oranga Tamariki website is  www.orangatamariki.govt.nz.

Maternity Care, Wellbeing and Child Protection Best Practice Guidelines: Our Workstream supports the development of the Maternity Care, Wellbeing and Child Protection Best Practice Guidelines.  A national resource kit (including core documents for administering the meeting and recording outcomes/plans) has been developed and can be accessed by contacting vipmanager@gmail.com. 

Sharing information to protect the wellbeing and safety of children and young people: Guidance on making sure relevant information about a child or young person is shared with the right people at the right time in the right way.

The Workstream supports the Violence Intervention Programme which has been implemented in Te Whatu Ora regions. For further information contact your local Te Whatu Ora VIP Co-ordinator. For further information please follow this link.

Training opportunities are available in many Te Whatu Ora regions. Contact your region's Child Protection or Violence Intervention Programme Co-ordinator for further information.

Two annual training workshops for health professionals are hosted every year by Te Puaruruhau (the Child Protection Team at Starship Children’s Hospital). Each is a two-day live course, which you can attend either in person or virtually. Both are preceded by 30-40 hours of online preLearning, so it is best to enrol early and give yourself plenty of time to work through the preLearning before the live courses.

1. “The Assessment of Suspected Sexual Abuse in Children and Adolescents” is run in March. This course counts towards accreditation by MEDSAC for the provision of sexual assault treatment services in New Zealand

2. “The Assessment of Suspected Physical Abuse in Children and Adolescents” is run in August.

Both courses are recognised by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians as contributing towards Advanced Training requirements in General and Community Paediatrics

Information about both courses can be accessed through this link: https://www.apacworkshop.nz/

Satellite Day

The Child Protection Special Interest Group Satellite Day is an annual workshop for multi-disciplinary child protection health professionals, providing updates, workforce development, and discussions on key issues. For more details, visit the Annual Meeting page

The Child Protection Workstream works closely with colleagues from Te Whatu Ora throughout New Zealand, Oranga Tamariki, the education system and multiple non-governmental organisations to help secure better outcomes for these children and young people and their families. 

The Workstream supports the Power to Protect Programme, which is a universal education programme tailor-made to the New Zealand context. It provides an opportunity to provide effective, simple and consistent education about infant crying and the harm caused by shaking a baby. Caregivers are provided with helpful tips to support them if they are feeling stressed and where they can go for help. Funding continues to be available for a National Co-ordinator.

Education for health professionals is available here. 

The National Child Protection Health Information Sharing System (NCPHISS) (formerly the National Child Protection Alert System) promotes child safety and wellbeing by enabling the sharing of child protection information between health professionals. The system includes a robust infrastructure, including a Privacy Impact Assessment supported by a Health NZ NCPHISS Protocol. Since August 2016, all Health NZ Districts are approved to lodge child protection flags on the system. Training can be accessed through the Violence Intervention Programme Coordinator in each Health NZ locality.

KidsHealth, supported by the Paediatric Society of New Zealand, is the go-to source for whānau seeking trusted child health information and resources.

Here are some links to relevant pages on the KidsHealth website:

• Preventing Child Abuse

• Child Abuse - Worried About A Child?

• Listing Of Information, Support & Resources on Child Abuse

• Helplines In New Zealand

• Family Violence