St Joseph's School
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If student sexual behaviour is concerning or harmful or there are student incidents of sexual harassment or violence, St Joseph's School follows the processes below.
Support for those with concerning behaviour
Staff who have concerns about student sexual behaviour or deal with a sexual behaviour incident report to the designated child protection person. At St Joseph's School, this person is the principal. The designated child protection person discusses any concerns and intended actions with relevant staff as appropriate. We seek external advice if needed, and may make an external referral.
We may seek advice from a range of sources, including:
The school works with the student, parents/caregivers, and external agencies as required to support the student and ensure the safety of others at the school. If appropriate, we implement a behaviour support or safety plan, which may include monitoring the student.
If we suspect abuse or neglect, we follow our Abuse Recognition and Reporting process.
Support for affected students
We recognise the significant impact that concerning or harmful sexual behaviour can have on other students. If a student is affected by the sexual behaviour of another student, including through sexual harassment or violence, the school works with the affected student and their family/whānau (as appropriate) to investigate the incident.
Students are encouraged to speak with a staff member they trust about any incidents or concerns. Staff members who receive information about student concerns, or reports of sexual harassment and violence, are expected to receive disclosures as outlined in Abuse Recognition and Reporting. This includes reporting to the designated child protection person, who leads the school response.
It may be necessary to implement the crisis management plan and/or involve the police, Oranga Tamariki, and the Ministry's Traumatic Incident Team.
We make every effort to create a safe environment to support any affected student, including take appropriate actions to prevent further harm. Also see our Bullying and Harassment and Stand-down, Suspension, and Exclusion policies.
We also offer support to affected staff. See Staff Wellbeing and Safety.
For student disclosures of sexual harassment or violence by a staff member, or someone not connected with the school, see Abuse Recognition and Reporting.
Recording and reporting
Any concerning sexual behaviour, sexual behaviour incident, or disclosure is recorded, detailing what happened or was said, and who was present. Follow-up actions, including discussions between St Joseph's School staff, contact with parents/caregivers or external agencies, and plans for action are also recorded. Our Privacy Policy applies at all times.
Information is only shared with other staff members or external agencies if it is in the best interest of students, and we are guided by our Sharing Student Personal Information with External Agencies procedures. We communicate with parents/caregivers as appropriate and the police as necessary.
The board is informed of any concerns or incidents that may create an unsafe physical or emotional environment, and any cases where the media might become involved.
