Overview

The Ministry has been supporting early learning services and schools with the impacts of traumatic events over the last 30 years. The service has evolved over time through working alongside those who have experienced traumatic events, learning what helps those leading the response and understanding what supports kaiako, ākonga and whānau wellbeing.

There are Traumatic Incident teams based in all Ministry offices around the country, whose services can be requested in response to an incident. Response teams include staff with a range of experiences and knowledge, including cultural knowledge. These teams are formed locally by an emergency oversight group after a request from a school or early learning setting, following an event that has caused sudden or significant disruption in that setting. Examples of disruptive events include when there is a sudden death or serious injury of children, young people, staff members or family/whānau, lost or missing children or staff, and natural disasters.

After a sudden and disruptive event, the Ministry’s Traumatic Incidents teams develop processes alongside the management or leadership team of an education setting to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children/young people and staff. They work together with leadership to return the early learning service or school as much as possible to normal operations, so children and young people can be supported by those they know and trust in the immediate aftermath.

Further information about the Traumatic Incidents team is available here.