Historical abuse allegations against teachers 

The Commission is looking into what happened to children, young people, and vulnerable adults in State and faith-based care in Aotearoa New Zealand between the years 1950-1999. The Commission may also listen to survivor experiences before and after the dates of 1950-1999. To read more, please click here. The Teaching Council in its current iteration has only existed since 2018, but prior to that under previous governments was: • The Teacher Registration Board - 1989 to 2002. • Teachers Council – 2002 to 2015. • Education Council – 2015 to 2018. • Teaching Council – 2018 to present. The Teaching Council has responsibilities for providing safety for children through high quality teaching and leadership, and past organisations (TRB and Teachers Council) have had similar responsibilities though each has had different powers. Some of the evidence gathered by the Commission relates to abuse in education settings with registered teachers. The Teaching Council’s actions and processes are therefore of interest. The Teaching Council is a regulatory and professional body designed to consider whether a person is fit to become a registered member of the profession, and whether that person continues to maintain the expected skills, knowledge, behaviours, and character to continue teaching. When the Teaching Council or its disciplinary bodies – which are quasi-judicial bodies – perform their functions and exercise their powers, all are required to act in accordance with the rules of natural justice. This includes allowing a teacher to hear and respond to allegations about their conduct and/or competence. The ultimate penalty that can be applied to a teacher is to remove them from the profession by cancelling their registration. The Council recognises that its processes are not designed as a complaint resolution process, and therefore are limited in being able to satisfy the needs and desire of some complainants, especially those who are survivors of abuse by teachers.

The Commission has its own website, please click here. Below are some links you might find useful. • What the Commission is about – click here • How the Commission works – click here • Te Tiriti o Waitangi – click here • Survivor Advisory Group – click here • You can find a link to the live stream of the Royal Commission – click here There are a range of outcomes from the Royal Commission: • It gives survivors an opportunity to be heard and have a voice. • The government might change the law. • Recommendations to various government and non-government organisations. • Apology from the Crown and other organisations. • The opportunity for cases to be taken to the police. The Royal Commission makes recommendations to the government about what should change, but are not binding on any party, including the government.

The Royal Commission is looking at historic situations with a new lens. The Teaching Council has had various iterations since it was first established on 1 October 1989 by the Education Act 1989. Since that time the body serving the teaching profession has existed in a number of legal entities. • Registration Board 1989 to 2002. • Teachers Council 2002 to 2015. • Education Council 2015 to 2018. • Teaching Council 2018 to present. The powers of these various bodies have changed over time. The powers exercised by the Teacher Registration Board are very different to those exercised by the Teaching Council as it currently exists. The Teaching Council acknowledges different powers and functions may impact on the judgements reached in the past. The current Teaching Council can’t comment on the intent or thinking behind processes and decisions applied (at various times) in the past but are committed to continuing to improve our processes, and particularly to safeguard the mana of those involved in our processes.

The Council recognises our processes have had a significant and ongoing negative impact on some individuals and wishes to engage with survivors in a genuine and well-considered way. Therefore, the Council does not feel it is appropriate to make a general apology today. We await the Commission’s full findings to help us ensure that any apologies to survivors are meaningful and personalised.

Yes. People can ring 0800 002 458 (+64 800 002 458). This number goes directly to our Professional Responsibility team. The number operates from 9am to 5pm, but anyone can leave a message and we will respond as soon as possible.

The Teaching Council, Governing Council Chair Robyn Baker, and Teaching Council CE Lesley Hoskin, wish to, on behalf of the Teaching Council and its predecessor bodies, acknowledge those survivors, and their whānau of abuse by teachers who have been involved in our processes. This includes where the Teaching Council has not taken appropriate care to ensure their safety, resulting in instances of harm being done which is unacceptable. The Council recognises our processes have had a significant and ongoing negative impact on some individuals and wishes to engage with survivors in a genuine and well-considered way. Therefore, the Council does not feel it is appropriate to make a general apology today as we are awaiting the Commission’s full findings to help ensure that any apologies to survivors are meaningful and personalised. The Teaching Council has had various iterations since it was first established on 1 October 1989 by the Education Act 1989. Since that time the body serving the teaching profession has existed in a number of legal entities: Registration Board 1989 to 2002 Teachers Council 2002 to 2015 Education Council 2015 to 2018 Teaching Council 2018 to present Powers these various bodies had were very different to the Teaching Council as it currently exists. The Teaching Council acknowledges different judgements may be made at this moment in time. The current Teaching Council can’t comment on the intent or thinking behind processes and decisions applied (at various times) in the past but are committed to continuing to improve our processes, and particularly to safeguard the mana of those involved in our processes.

Yes, the Royal Commission of Inquiry can’t do its work without people coming forward to share experiences. These are very sensitive topics and the Commission’s role is to ensure there is a safe space for people to share. If you have information you’d like to share, please click here.