Children and the Law

Legislation for and about children
Fiona Bell, Social Worker in Schools

Family Violence (Recap of previous session)
Latest statistics: Roughly every second call out for the police is for family violence.

Cycle of Violence

Leaving - reasons for not leaving

• Fatigue
• Finance 
• Father
• Fear (most at risk when they first leave, have a baby, start a new relationship)
• False hope
• Faith
• Waiting for children to reach a certain age

Impact on children

• Smaller brains, cortisol hormone levels are heightened

Children Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1989/0024/latest/DLM147088.html

Family Violence Act 1995

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1995/0086/latest/DLM371926.html

Care of Children Act 2004

http://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2004/0090/latest/DLM317233.html

Vulnerable Children Act 2014

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2014/0040/latest/whole.html

Final Thoughts and Ideas

• Triggers
• Often sensory 
• music, 
• sounds, 
• touch, 
• temperature, 
• smell
• social can take you to an emotional place
• Language
• Angry kid can't blow bubbles - give them a bubble blower to use
• Meet the kids where they are emotionally before talking about choice.
• i.e. deal with the anger first, give them the chance to be heard
•