1. A voice for NZ children March 2017 Donna Provoost
Strategy, Rights & Advice
Office of the Children’s Commissioner

3. What you should take away …
OCC role in advocating for children’s interests and rights
What is child-centred thinking
Issues for children in your schools
Importance of children’s voices

6. It is the role of the Children’s Commissioner to advocate for the rights, interests and wellbeing of New Zealand children.
Monitor how well the State is doing for children in care and protection and youth justice
Advocate for children’s rights and best interests
Influence legislation, policy and practice
Support children’s voices to be heard

9. Overall, we know…. New Zealand has…
1/3 Māori live in poverty
1/3 Pasifika live in poverty
1/6 Europeans live in poverty
Overall, we know….
New Zealand has…
A poor child health record relative to other developed countries
A big difference between top and bottom achievers at school – depends on socioeconomic status
Opportunities for kids largely depend on how well off your parents are…but…
New Zealander’s want a country where all children thrive

10. Commissioner sets his priories for in areas of greatest need
…but other ‘BAU’ work goes on!

11. Rights of the Child Four Principles: Participation Provision
Non-discrimination
Best interests
Life, survival and development
Voice of the child
Participation
Protection
Provision
Ask children’s views
Act on their answers
Tell them what to expect
Opinion
Culture
Religion
Information
Violence prevention
Bullying prevention
Online safety
Mentoring
Relationship education
Education Act update
Learning Support update
SWIS
Health hubs C
Housing
Social
Security
Healthcare
Education
From
cruelty, abuse, neglect H I L D
UN Convention on
the Rights of the Child

12. Relevant Rights of the Child
Article 1: Convention applies universally to everyone under 18.
Article 12: Children have the right to an opinion, and for that opinion to be heard, on decisions that affect them.
Article 23: Disabled children should enjoy full and decent lives, with dignity, self-reliance and active participation in the community. Also entitled to special care and protection, with free assistance.
Article 28: Universal right to education (including free compulsory primary, and accessible secondary and tertiary education).
Article 29: Purpose of education is the development of the child's personality, talents and abilities to their fullest potential.

13. Defining child-centred
What’s all the talk about being child-centred?
Defining child-centred

14. …basing decisions and actions on what’s in the best for children
Being child-centred is …
…basing decisions and actions
on what’s in the best for children
Recognising that children have rights
Understanding what children need
Asking what children think and listening
Making decisions accordingly

15. A child-centred approach to decision-making starts with four questions:
How will the decision affect children?
What are the differential impacts?
What do children say?
What will you do about it?

16. What all children need to thrive
Sense of identity and belonging
Stable, nurturing family
Supportive community and play
Adequate income to meet needs
Education that develops the child
Access to health services
Safe, healthy homes
What all children need to thrive

17. Considering the differential impacts
Younger/older children
Ethnicity
Socio-economic status
Disability
Gender
Gender identity and sexual orientation
Parents with different characteristics, e.g. parents with disabilities, parents in prison .

19. Why all the noise about
child poverty?

20. Child poverty is a real problem in New Zealand All measures are proxies for: - how well are children doing? - are they getting their basic needs met?

24. Child poverty is costing all of us…

25. Defining child-centred
But what about the issues your student are facing?
Defining child-centred

26.  Alcohol & Drugs

27.  Bullying
Do you have a bully-prevention strategy?

28.  ‘Digital Age Issues’ … more questions than answers
Is students’ use of social media a problem?
How to manage access inappropriate internet content?
Do you think digit age is impairing students developing good social skills?
How to address cyber bullying?

29.  Mental health

30. Maturing of the Brain (as seen in MRI studies)

31.  Neurodevelopmental issues
Does this fit with what you see?
Source: “Nobody Made the Connection: The Prevalence of Neuro-disability in Young People who Offend” 2011, Report by the Children’s Commissioner of England

32.  Attendance and engagement

33. www.surveymonkey.com / r / occ - schools

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