Working together to strengthen children’s privacy guidance for the education sector
12 April 2026
Keeping tamariki and rangatahi safe is a shared responsibility - from the teachers they learn with every day to the organisations that support their wellbeing and protection.
The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand has contributed to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner’s Children and Young People’s Privacy Project, working alongside education sector agencies and unions, tertiary providers, schools and centres, and privacy experts from across the sector.
The project responds directly to feedback from a previous national consultation, where educators and organisations said they needed clearer, more practical guidance on how children’s privacy rules apply in real-life situations.
Many respondents said this would be an important first step in improving privacy outcomes for children and young people in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The guidance aligns closely with the Code of Professional Responsibility, which sets out the high ethical standards expected of every teacher. This includes acting with integrity, protecting the wellbeing of learners, and maintaining professional, respectful relationships with families and whānau.
In practice, this means using care and sound judgement when handling learners’ personal information, only sharing information with those who have a legitimate need to know, and treating personal and whānau information as confidential.
As part of the project, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner developed six pieces of guidance tailored to different sectors and audiences, including education. The guidance is designed to explain privacy rules in a way that is easy to understand and apply in everyday teaching and learning settings.
Work on the guidance began in February 2025, with draft sections shared progressively with a cross-sector working group for review and feedback. Teaching Council Lead Advisor - Privacy, Government and Information, Jessica Ludgate, was part of the working group and provided advice to help ensure the guidance aligns with expectations set out in the Code of Professional Responsibility.
She also shared examples based on the questions and concerns the Teaching Council regularly hears from teachers about handling personal information.
“The guidance includes practical scenarios to help kaiako understand what information can and cannot be shared in different situations. This supports teachers to make confident, consistent decisions in their day-to-day practice,” says Jessica.
“Privacy is about recognising that personal information is taonga - it tells someone’s life story and deserves care and respect. Children often have less control or understanding of how their information is used, which makes it even more important to handle it thoughtfully.”
Through its involvement, the Teaching Council helped ensure the guidance reflects the realities of teaching and supports teachers to balance privacy obligations with learner wellbeing. For example, the guidance includes practical considerations for keeping learner information safe on a parent’s communication platforms, as well as clear steps to follow when discussing learner information in meetings - before, during, and after those conversations.
Overall, the guidance provides clear, accessible information to help safeguard learner privacy, while supporting teachers to do the right thing in complex situations.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has also released separate guidance for people working in child wellbeing and protection roles.
While this guidance is less directly focused on education settings, it reinforces an important message for the sector: there is no legislative barrier to sharing information with the right people and agencies when there is a genuine concern for a child or young person’s wellbeing or safety. Information should be shared in appropriate ways, through established channels, and with those who have a role in keeping children and young people safe.
Resources
- Children’s Privacy Guidance for the Education Sector - Office of the Privacy Commissioner
- Sharing information to protect the wellbeing and safety of children and young people - Office of the Privacy Commissioner
These resources support everyone across the system to work together to protect children and young people, while respecting their privacy and rights.
