New Zealand Legislation: Acts

22 Persons entitled to attend family group conference

• (1) Subject to subsection (2), the following persons are entitled to attend a family group conference convened under this Part:

  • (a) the child or young person in respect of whom the conference is held, unless the care and protection co-ordinator convening the conference is of the opinion that—

    • (i) the attendance of that child or young person would not be in the interests of that child or young person, or would, for any other reason, be undesirable; or

    • (ii) the child or young person would be unable, by reason of its age or level of maturity, to understand the proceedings:

  • (b) every person who is—

    • (i) a parent or guardian of, or a person having the care of, that child or young person; or

    • (ii) a member of the family, whanau, or family group of the child or young person,—

    unless the care and protection co-ordinator convening the conference is of the opinion that that person's attendance would not be in the interests of the child or young person, or would be undesirable for any other reason:

  • (c) the care and protection co-ordinator who is convening the conference, or any care and protection co-ordinator who is acting for that person:

  • (d) where the conference has been convened on the basis of a report under section 18(1) from a social worker or a constable, that social worker or constable, or any social worker or constable who is acting for that person:

  • (e) where the conference has been convened on the basis of a referral of a matter under section 19(1)(a) by any body or organisation, a representative of that body or organisation:

  • (f) where the conference has been convened or reconvened, for the purposes of section 145, in respect of a child or young person, a representative of the person who has the care of that child or young person pursuant to an agreement to which that section applies, or who it is proposed should have the care of that child or young person pursuant to such an agreement:

  • (g) if the child or young person is under the guardianship of the court under the Care of Children Act 2004, any person appointed as agent for the court under that Act, or any representative of that person:

  • (h) any barrister or solicitor or lay advocate representing the child or young person:

  • (i) any person whose attendance at that conference is in accordance with the wishes of the family, whanau, or family group of the child or young person as expressed under section 21.

  (2) No person to whom paragraph (c) or paragraph (d) or paragraph (e) or paragraph (f) or paragraph (h) of subsection (1) applies is entitled to be present at any family group conference during any discussions or deliberations held among the members of the family, whanau, or family group of the child or young person in respect of whom the conference is held, unless those members request any such person to be present.

  Section 22(1)(d): amended, on 1 October 2008, pursuant to section 116(a)(ii) of the Policing Act 2008 (2008 No 72).

  Section 22(1)(g): substituted, on 3 June 1998, by section 8 of the Guardianship Amendment Act 1998 (1998 No 48).

  Section 22(1)(g): amended, on 1 July 2005, by section 151 of the Care of Children Act 2004 (2004 No 90).