Children’s Act 2014

If you need more information about this Act, please contact the administering agency: Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children
23 Interpretation

(1)

In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires,—

child has the meaning given in section 15

children’s worker means a person who works in, or provides, a regulated service, and the person’s work—

(a)

may or does involve regular or overnight contact with a child or children (other than with children who are co-workers); and

(b)

takes place without a parent or guardian of the child, or of each child, being present

core worker means a children’s worker whose work in or providing a regulated service requires or allows that, when the person is present with a child or children in the course of that work, the person—

(a)

is the only children’s worker present; or

(b)

is the children’s worker who has primary responsibility for, or authority over, the child or children present

key agency means any of the following:

(a)

the Ministry of Social Development:

(b)

the Ministry of Health:

(c)

the Ministry of Education:

(d)

the Ministry of Justice:

(e)

the department responsible for the administration of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989

local authority means a local authority, as defined in section 2(1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, to which Parts 1 to 6 of that Act apply

Minister means the Minister of the Crown who, under the authority of any warrant or with the authority of the Prime Minister, is for the time being responsible for the administration of this Part

non-core worker means a children’s worker who is not a core worker

regulated service means a service identified in Schedule 1

safety checked, in relation to a person at a particular time, means that a safety check that complies with section 31 has been completed for the person within the previous 3 years

screening service means a person or organisation that carries out, on behalf of a specified organisation, all or any part of a safety check of children’s workers

specified offence means an offence identified in Schedule 2

specified organisation has the meaning given in section 24

State services has the meaning given in section 5 of the Public Service Act 2020

work means work that is—

(a)

paid work; or

(b)

unpaid work that is undertaken as part of an educational or vocational training course.

(2)

A person’s work involves regular or overnight contact with children if—

(a)

the person has contact (other than merely incidental contact) with a child or children—

(i)

overnight; or

(ii)

at least once each week; or

(iii)

on at least 4 days each month; and

(b)

that contact is any of the following kinds:

(i)

physical contact:

(ii)

oral communication, whether in person or by telephone:

(iii)

communication through any electronic medium, including by way of writing or visual images.

Section 23(1) key agency paragraph (e): inserted, on 14 July 2017, by section 8 of the Vulnerable Children Amendment Act 2017 (2017 No 32).

Section 23(1) State services: amended, on 7 August 2020, by section 135 of the Public Service Act 2020 (2020 No 40).