Law for School Guidance Counsellors
Led by legal experts in education, health, family and criminal law, and those working with school guidance counsellors at the coalface, you will review current an important legal issues and challenges affecting you. Benefit from an examination of the new privacy law, informed consent and the Counselling Code of Rights, receive an overview and family law legislation you need to know, and guidance on child protection and what to do when you suspect abuse or a child discloses to you. 216NZA08
Description
Attend and earn 6 PLD Hours
Chair: Mika Taito, Head of Student Services, Auckland Grammar School
8.45am to 8.50am Opening Comments by the Chair
8.50am to 9.30am Overview of Current Issues Affecting School Guidance Counsellors
Presented by Adele Towgood, Deputy General Secretary (membership), New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association Te Wehengarua (PPTA)
9.30am to 10.15am A Connected Life: Supporting Young People to Manage and Navigate Life Online
Navigating life has always been fraught with challenges and for young people today growing up, making friends, dealing with the unpredictability of relationships and developing their own voice and identity is happening online. Increasingly their lives, relationships and support networks exist and flourish via devices and online spaces.
Those working directly with young people and supporting them as they navigate life online are often the first port of call for advice and guidance when issues arise.
In this session you will unpack:
- What online challenges schools are seeing and the impacts of these on student wellbeing
- Recent local and international research around young people’s activities and behaviours online
- The NELP framework and what it means for schools and those working to improve outcomes for young people
- Approaches for schools when managing online harm
Presented by Pauline Spence, Community Success Specialist, Linewize
10.15am to 11.00am Privacy Law and Information Sharing
- Understanding the information privacy principles and how they apply to schools
- How to prevent and address privacy breaches
- Dealing with tricky situations that Guidance Counsellors may encounter
- Learnings from the relevant case law
Presented by Rachael Judge, Senior Associate and Darren Gunasekara, Solicitor, Simpson Grierson
11.00am to 11.15am Morning Tea
11.15am to 12.00pm To What Extent Does Counselling Fall Under the Code of Rights?
For those aspects that are covered by the Code:
- What are the key elements of informed consent:
- What information is required to make it “informed”?
- How is age considered in assessing consent in different circumstances?
- How does age affect considerations of consent where the student is between 12 and 14? What about those under 12 years?
- What is the role of parents/guardians with these age groups?
- When is a “blanket” or generic consent adequate?
- Evaluating oral versus written and ‘implied’ consent
- Addressing challenges with consent:
- What are your obligations to the student where the parent does not consent to counselling, but you believe the student needs it and the student consents to counselling?
- What are your options where only one parent consents, but the other objects to counselling?
- Exploring circumstances where it can be claimed consent was obtained because of undue pressure or duress
- Obtaining specific consent regarding mental health and other assessments of the student
- Best practice in documenting consent and template consent forms
Presented by Dr Cordelia Thomas, Associate Commissioner, Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner Te Toihai Hauroa, Hauātanga
12.00pm to 1.00pm PANEL DISCUSSION AND Q&A: How do School Guidance Counsellors Meet Current Challenges?
This open forum will provide you with practical guidance on the current and potential challenges facing school guidance counsellors and how to overcome them. This is also an opportunity to share thoughts and challenges as well as having your questions answered in the dedicated Q&A session with the experts.
Panellists:
Pauline Spence, Community Success Specialist, Linewize
Dr Cordelia Thomas, Associate Commissioner, Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner Te Toihai Hauroa, Hauātanga
Sandra Tyree, Head of Counselling, James Hargest College
Tiera Foy, Guidance Counsellor / Kaitohutohu, Alfriston College
Mika Taito, Head of Student Services, Auckland Grammar School
Interactive Q&A: Break into Groups and Discussion with Speakers
1.00pm to 2.00pm Networking Lunch
Understanding Child Protection: Family and Criminal Law Perspectives
2.00pm to 3.00pm Understanding Family Law Legislation
Join experienced barrister, Johanna Robinson to gain a practical understanding of family law legislation, including Children’s Act and child protection legislation Oranga Tamariki and the child protection laws that the school guidance counsellors need to know.
Presented by Johanna Robertson, Barrister
3.00pm to 4.00pm Working with Police when a Child Discloses and the Vital Role of Schools
- The Police role and overview of child protection teams
- Police/Oranga Tamariki Child Protection Protocol (CPP)
- What to do when you suspect abuse or a child discloses to you
- The process where there are potentially multiple victims within the school
- Post incident procedures
- School Child Protection Policies
Presented by Detective Senior Sergeant James Patea, National Coordinator: Child Protection National Criminal Investigations Group, PNHQ
Presenters
Rachael Judge, Senior Associate, Simpson Grierson
Rachael Judge is a senior associate at Simpson Grierson, specialising in employment and education law. Rachael acts for several independent and state schools on matters such as terms of enrolment, student disciplinary issues, student human rights claims, school policies and the Children’s Act 2014. She also advises schools in relation to their employment agreements and staff disciplinary issues. Rachael regularly attends mediations and represents clients in Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court and Human Rights Review Tribunal matters.
Darren Gunasekara, Solicitor, Simpson Grierson
Darren is a solicitor in the employment law group at Simpson Grierson. His experience includes advising on all areas of employment law, including employment related privacy and health and safety matters. He advises on employment disputes ranging from personal grievances through to litigation in the Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court. He also assists employers with reviews of employment practices, policies and employment agreements. Darren has experience with clients the education sector, in particular, advising on the unique privacy issues that arise in schools. Darren has assisted schools with privacy policy reviews, and advised on their privacy obligations towards staff, students (both domestic and international) and others in the school community.
Dr Cordelia Thomas, Associate Commissioner, Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner Te Toihai Hauroa, Hauātanga
Dr Cordelia Thomas is the Associate Commissioner for the Health and Disability Commissioner. She has previously been the HDC Associate Commissioner- Investigations, Acting Chief Legal Advisor, Specialist Senior Legal Advisor. Previously, she was the senior legal advisor for Toi te taio: the Bioethics Council. Her projects included "Who Gets Born: Prebirth testing" and "Human Embryos for Research". For a number of years she was a senior lecturer in law at Massey University and continues to teach Public Health Law. Her research interests include medical law and bioethics and her PhD thesis in law proposed a legal framework for the collection, retention and use of human body parts. She has published widely and is the author of several textbooks.Edit Speaker's Profile
Pauline Spence, Linewize
While a teacher at heart, Pauline is also an experienced education advisor and consultant, specialising in online safety and wellbeing. She has worked within the education sector for over 20 years, spending time both inside and outside of the classroom. She spent 14 years working internationally both as a teacher and education consultant, and returned to NZ spending time back in the classroom before joining the Netsafe team for three and a half years as their Education Advisor for schools. While there she discovered a passion for working with kura and families & whānau to support young people to develop the skills and confidence to navigate life online safely. She has recently joined the Linewize team as their Community Success Specialist where her focus is to help schools engage with their wider school community in the online safety and wellbeing spaces, as well as building capacity in schools and whānau to respond to the challenges tamariki and rangitahi can experience when connected.
Johanna Robertson, Barrister
Johanna qualified in 1985 in New Zealand and worked and lived overseas, mainly in the United Kingdom until 2004. She is a qualified UK Solicitor and Children's Panel Member. Whilst in the UK Johanna worked with the multiple award winning family lawyer - Peggy Ray at Goodman Ray Solicitors. She also gained a MA in Children's Observational Studies at the Tavistock Clinic - one of the most significant institutions in the world dealing with the psychology of children and families. Since her return, Johanna has had a general practice and is a Lawyer for Child as well as a qualified mediator.
Detective Senior Sergeant James Patea, National Coordinator: Child Protection National Criminal Investigations Group, PNHQ
James joined the Police in 1997 and started in Lower Hutt, Wellington as a front-line Police constable. In 2001, he joined the Hutt Valley Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) before moving to the Royal New Zealand Police College as a Police recruit instructor in 2007. After a year at the Police college he became a community sergeant in charge of the Petone Community Policing suburb in Wellington. In 2010, he returned to the CIB as a Detective Sergeant and supervised serious crime investigation teams in the Wellington district. His passion is families and after working several years as a CIB supervisor in child protection, he moved to the Police National Headquarters in 2016 taking up the national role as a Family Violence Coordinator. He is now a Detective Senior Sergeant, Child Protection National Coordinator, with the National Criminal Investigations Group.
Tiera Foy, Counsellor at Alfriston College – Auckland
Tiera started her counselling in school journey in 2018 as a student, and as an employee in 2019. Before she was an English teacher in Mercury Bay for three years. And even before that, she was an educator in Canada. She would class herself as a beginning counselling practitioner. She has had experience across two very different schools as a counsellor (North Shore vs South Auckland, decile 9 vs decile 2, completely different model of learning and makeup of student).
Sandra Tyree, Head of Counselling at James Hargest College
Sandra began her teaching career in 1979 in Invercargill, Kingswell High School. She made the transition to Gudiance Counsellor while teaching at James Hargest. Starting as a sole Counsellor the school now has 4 FTTE counsellors. James Hargest also has governance responsibility for Murihiku Young Parents Centre, the Invercargill Activities Centre and Invercargill Student Services Network which all occupy separate premises. Sandra is the PPTA Branch Chair at Hargest
Mika Taito, Head of Student Services, Auckland Grammar School
Mika Taito is the Director of Student Services at Auckland Grammar School. Mika is a successful and professional leader, who along with his team of 8 is responsible for the Therapeutic and Careers Counselling, Vocational Pathways and Academic Monitoring services within the school. Mika and the team have the privilege of guiding students through conversations that entail pastoral and academic decisions that need to be carefully considered in a holistic manner. Mika believes that working in a collaborative manner with the school’s Executive Team, Deans, Learning Support, Teachers, Nurses and when necessary the students’ parents is the key to best supporting the young men that attend Auckland Grammar School. Mika has been employed at Auckland Grammar School for almost 7 years, and he loves everything about his role and his contribution to the co-curricular life of the school. Mika is passionately involved in the schools 1st XV Rugby Team, Tibbs Boarding House and the Master in Charge of the school’s Pasifika groups.
Adele Towgood, Deputy General Secretary (membership), New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association Te Wehengarua (PPTA)
Adele Towgood has walked the talk as both as a PPTA member activist and a Field officer. A teacher of history, social studies and sociology, Adele held branch and regional secretary positions and was regional chair in Northland central at a time when the area was threatened by encroaching charter schools. She became PPTA field officer for the Wellington and Wairarapa region in 2015 and enjoyed the experience of supporting members and promoting the professional side of teaching. She now currently has the role of Deputy General Secretary for Membership where she works to support the Field Officers in their work with teachers and branches.
Venue
Cliftons
Level 4/45 Queen Street
Auckland CBD
Auckland 1010
New Zealand
Parking
Parking is not included in your registration. Nearby options are:
- Downtown Carpark (4 min walk) Click here for rates
- Britomart Carpark (10 min walk) Click here for rates
Directions
CLOSEST TRAIN STATION - Britomart Station, 600m (5 min walk)
CLOSEST BUS STOP - Multiple stops on Queen St and Customs St (1 min walk)