Kohia Kids Zone
Epsom, Auckland
About Kohia Kids Zone
After School Care (ASC), Before School Care (BSC), and Holiday Programmes
Term Time:
Breakfast Club at Kids Zone (BSC)
7.30 - 8.30am
A yummy selection of breakfast food is provided for the kids! With the short amount of time we have we try to offer something for everyone. Some days we'll make sure we start the day off right with some yoga and stretches, other days we'll put our creative brains on and get crafting. Where possible we always try to have a run around outside.
Kids Zone (ASC)
3pm - 6pm
Don't need the full session? Then come along for the 3-4pm session.
Year 7's & 8's: Our school stage is the Senior Zone. Intermediates are allowed responsible device time while in Senior Zone.
Classes: Kids Zone often offers extra classes, such as art club, drama club, fitness club, and more!
Holiday Programmes at KKZ:
We provide two themed weeks of engaging activities. Creative crafts, delicious baking, sporty group games, and a few trip days to Auckland's best kids-friendly spots.
Afternoon tea is provided at 3.30pm
Parents are expected to provide morning tea, lunch, a drink bottle & comfy clothes for the days activities.
We open bookings approximately three weeks in advance. This will be advertised in the school newsletter so be sure to keep an eye out!
Term Time:
Breakfast Club at Kids Zone (BSC)
7.30 - 8.30am
A yummy selection of breakfast food is provided for the kids! With the short amount of time we have we try to offer something for everyone. Some days we'll make sure we start the day off right with some yoga and stretches, other days we'll put our creative brains on and get crafting. Where possible we always try to have a run around outside.
Kids Zone (ASC)
3pm - 6pm
Don't need the full session? Then come along for the 3-4pm session.
Year 7's & 8's: Our school stage is the Senior Zone. Intermediates are allowed responsible device time while in Senior Zone.
Classes: Kids Zone often offers extra classes, such as art club, drama club, fitness club, and more!
Holiday Programmes at KKZ:
We provide two themed weeks of engaging activities. Creative crafts, delicious baking, sporty group games, and a few trip days to Auckland's best kids-friendly spots.
Afternoon tea is provided at 3.30pm
Parents are expected to provide morning tea, lunch, a drink bottle & comfy clothes for the days activities.
We open bookings approximately three weeks in advance. This will be advertised in the school newsletter so be sure to keep an eye out!
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Terms & Conditions
Client-Centred Services
Programme philosophy
Kohia Kids Zone aims to provide affordable, quality out of school care and recreation services for families within our local community, where children can learn and develop physically, emotionally, creatively, cognitively and socially. We believe that children have the right to be safe and enjoy their out of school time with activities that are fun and appropriate for their age and cultural background.
All staff inductions include this policy, as well as relevant information on the particular needs of children attending the programme.
Programming Policy
Our programme planning aims to ensure that:
Our planning aims to be responsive to the varying age, capabilities, and interests of the children. Their viewpoints will be taken into account when planning. There will be a sense of stability and regularity to what is offered, but with a flexible approach in that children will be encouraged to participate but may choose an appropriate alternative.
Our programme will include a range of activities such as, but not limited to:
Regarding the holiday programme, parents will be provided detailed daily schedules via our online booking system. There will also be brochures & schedules, both of which will be downloadable, on a dedicated portion of our school website and booking site. Hard Copy brochures/advertising materials will be made available to parents at the school office, featuring a varying degree of information based on the feature of the programme being advertised.
Adequate and safe facilities will be provided for each activity. Where necessary, staff will limit group sizes or the age of participants. Any specific supervision requirements will be determined prior to the commencement of any activities. Parent consent is required for any off-site activities and will be communicated at the time of booking on our online booking portal.
Programme planning is the responsibility of the programme manager, with support from other staff. All planning will be subject to budget guidelines.
Staff will be encouraged to contribute to the programme in areas where they have special interests or strengths e.g. sports, art, music, cooking etc.
In responding to the needs of children, staff will:
All staff are involved in regular staff meetings that cover reviews that will include programme content & delivery, selected policies/procedures, incidents and any other issues of concern. Staff will also regularly review how the programme is meeting children's needs. Staff comments and views will be recorded in the meeting notes, as well as any agreed outcomes.
Community Wellbeing
Behaviour Management
Kohia Kids Zone (KKZ) manages behaviour in partnership with Kohia Terrace School (KTS), focusing on maintaining a happy, caring, and respectful environment while prioritizing the care and protection of children.
The policy centers on promoting positive behaviour and using de-escalation strategies for challenging behaviour. KKZ recognizes that challenging behaviour stems from distress and responds supportively. High standards of conduct are expected from attendees, staff, and the wider community, with parents/whānau expected to model positive behaviour. Finally, bullying and harassment are taken seriously and addressed through the established behaviour management and complaints procedures.
Attendee Feedback
Our proactive behavior management framework is dedicated to fostering child agency and self-regulation by consistently integrating the child’s perspective into all program structures. Feedback is gathered via an anonymous suggestion box, group discussions, and dedicated one-on-one consultations to collaboratively address behavioral needs. This intentional process empowers young people to exercise choice and develop self-control in a safe, structured setting.
Behaviour Management Guidelines
Staff at Kohia Kids Zone (KKZ) are guided by a consistent set of principles centered on positive relationships, clear expectations, and dignified response to challenging behaviour.
1. Clear Expectations and "The Pledge"
Individualised Support Plans (ISP) and Exclusion
The programme prioritises prevention and support through individual planning when necessary.
Staff and management at Kohia Kids Zone are committed to responding to concerns about the safety and wellbeing of children and recognise that this may have consequences for the status and reputation of the organisation, management, and staff. However, the interest and welfare of the children or young people will be the primary consideration when any action is taken about suspected abuse.
Kohia Kids Zone will not tolerate abusive behaviour of any kind and will promote a culture of child protection by making these policies visible to parents and the community.
Kohia Kids Zone supports the roles of statutory agencies (the police, Oranga Tamariki) and will consult with them when necessary.
The Children's Act 2014 requires a rigorous process for screening staff who work with children. Kohia Kids Zone complies with this Act, in order to safeguard the programme from inappropriate persons. This is further outlined in the staffing policy.
Purpose
This policy guides the actions of the organisation whenever there is a concern about the abuse or mistreatment of children. This includes recording concerns, responding if a child discloses abuse, suspected abuse by staff and suspected abuse between children.
This policy applies to all staff, including part-time, temporary & casual roles, volunteers, and contractors.
As a part of staff induction, new staff are instructed in:
There will be annual in-house training about the child protection policy and appropriate external training will be accessed whenever possible - with priority given to permanent and senior staff members.
Staff members are not expected to reach any conclusion about whether abuse or neglect is occurring, or what form it may be taking. They are expected to recognise and consult when something is wrong, if a pattern is noticed or several signs together cause concern.
Some signs of potential abuse/neglect
This organisation will act on recommendations made by statutory agencies concerning the reporting of suspected abuse. Staff will consult with or inform families about any suspected or actual abuse, after consulting with the appropriate statutory agencies.
When notifying the agency, a receipt or acknowledgement of the notification (written or electronic) will be requested. All information or notes concerning the notification will include date, time, and name of the person receiving the notification.
Staff will respond to suspected child abuse or any concerning behaviour by informing the Programme Manager. The recording of this information including observations, impressions, and communications will be recorded. This will be kept separate from other programme records and enrolment information etc.
Information volunteered by a child should be fully and accurately recorded. Staff will not interview children about the suspected abuse, but may engage the child to collect essential information, using open ended prompts such as “what happened after that?”
No staff member will act alone about suspected child abuse but will consult with programme management. Where staff and programme management suspect child abuse has occured and a child is unsafe, immediate contact will be made with the Police or Oranga Tamariki.
Staff who are responding to cases of suspected child abuse are entitled to have support. The programme will maintain knowledge of such individuals or organisations that provide support and will assist staff to access these services as needed.
This organisation acknowledges that the use of ‘settlement agreements’ could be contrary to the principles of child protection. Some settlement agreements allow a member of staff to agree to resign provided that no disciplinary action is taken, and a future reference is agreed. Where the conduct at issue concerns the safety or wellbeing of a child, use of such agreements will be avoided.
While the situation is being evaluated, the children/young people concerned will be kept separate. In some cases where the abuse has occurred at the programme, immediate suspension of a child may be appropriate, as outlined in the behaviour guidance policy.
This organisation will keep personal information as private as possible. Parents will also be asked to keep all information confidential to allow a proper investigation and resolution.
All parents/caregivers will be kept informed about how the programme is responding to concerns, including meeting with staff to discuss these concerns. It is a policy of the programme to discourage interaction between the different parents involved and between parents and other children in the programme while a concern is being investigated.
An open door policy for all spaces should be used as much as possible (i.e not for toilets). Staff will be aware of where all children are at all times and check to ensure that what they are doing is appropriate.
Staff will watch for situations where children are out of sight together (play huts, storage areas, toilets, etc.) and intervene to reduce risk of inappropriate behaviour.
Staff will avoid being alone when transporting a child or young person, unless an emergency requires it. Except in an emergency (or as specified in the late collection policy), children and young people will not be taken from the programme by staff without parent consent.
Visitors to the centre will be monitored at all times by programme staff. All volunteers and outside instructors will be monitored by the paid programme staff.
As outlined in the code of conduct: “Staff will provide physical comfort or reassurance when needed by children, but exercise caution and restraint when initiating physical contact or displaying signs of affection.” Staff will not allow children to climb on them or sit on their laps.
If activities require a higher degree of physical contact (i.e. classes in swimming, gymnastics, dance, etc.) parents and caregivers will be informed.
Unless requested by children or parents there is usually no need to assist school aged children with toileting. If the situation arises, staff will ensure that another staff member knows who is assisting the child. Parents will be informed.
In some situations a child or young person may require more regular physical and or personal care assistance. Advice and assistance will be requested from parents/caregivers and specialist personnel. Programme management will negotiate with all involved regarding appropriate procedures for giving this assistance.
Staffing
All staff recruitment falls under Kohia Terrace School. Every staff member has a written individual employment agreement (IEA) and we ensure that all decisions concerning employment (e.g. hours of work, leave) are made in accordance with the applicable employment agreement and relevant legislation.
We consider a staff member to be any person hired to perform a job for our organisation, typically receiving a regular wage or salary and having specific duties and responsibilities. This includes programme volunteers and paid programme workers.
KKZ staff are considered “Children’s workers” as defined by the Children's Act 2014.
As a part of the employment process staff will have an IEA or Volunteer agreement, a job description, a code of conduct, and support documents such as induction and training. All processes surrounding recruitment and selection comply with legislation, including fair employment practices, the identification of positions defined as “Children’s Worker”.
All staff are subject to a police vetting, or where relevant, a Ministry of Justice criminal history check. All staff have verified identification, references, and relevant credentials. Where the vetting raises a serious concern, decisions will be made and documented by the Board of Trustees in consideration of the following;
Health and safety
At Kohia Kids Zone, the safety and wellbeing of children is a paramount concern. The programme’s procedures will comply with all relevant legislation and professional standards, including the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA).
Kohia Kids Zone will, as far as reasonably practicable, provide a safe environment for all staff, children, parents and others involved in the programme. The main safety procedures implemented by the programme concern:
There will be ongoing reporting on health and safety matters including any changes or improvements made to health and safety in the programme and outcomes from health and safety reviews. Reporting will be provided via Kohia Terrace School’s Hero school management system, as well as at weekly management meetings and monthly Board meetings, where relevant.
The programme provides a smoke free environment. Staff who smoke are not permitted to do so anywhere in the programme facility or grounds.
Excursions and Transportation
When children are taken off site, staff are aware of the higher risk this entails and the requirement for a high standard of supervision. Staff will be made aware of particular hazards and given clear guidelines for these situations e.g. road crossing, behaviour while in vehicles, supervision around water etc. These will be supplied via a printed copy of our RAM’s, a discussion about which will be had pre-trip with all relevant staff.
The staff/child ratio on excursions will be 1 adult to 8 children as a general guide (this may change depending on the level of risk e.g. movies could be greater, boat trip less) . Children will be put into groups with an adult whose primary responsibility will be to supervise that group.
On walks the children will be organised into a buddy system and will walk double file with at least one adult at the rear and one adult leading. Where there is a road to cross, pedestrian crossings will be used if available. One adult will stand in the middle of the road to ensure traffic is stopped before children begin to cross and will remain there until all children are safely across the road.
Consent is gained from parents via their online booking details before children are taken on excursions. Parents are made aware of the nature of our trip days upon booking; this is seen when choosing the session (“Trip Day; Auckland Zoo” for example) as well as when reading the event description. This includes important details such as departure and return times. Additionally, parents will receive an email including relevant trip details the day before the excursion, preferably 24 hours before they occur. This may include mode of transportation, itinerary, clothing appropriate to trip e.g. jumpers, sunhat.
The programme will have a timetable for the excursion and there will be no significant departure from the planned itinerary, unless an emergency requires it. Parents will be informed of the general schedule of the day, such as departure and return times, afternoon tea time, but will not be informed of greater scheduling details as these are subject to minor changes based on the evolving needs of the day.
The planned itinerary will include contingency arrangements for weather etc.
A list of children participating in the excursion can be accessed at any time on Enrolmy. Senior leadership at Kohia Terrace School, as well as Kohia Kids Zone staff members not in attendance of the excursion, may access this as necessary. The authorised supervisor of any excursion day will have on their person access to Enrolmy at any given time. This includes roll call details, emergency contacts, and medical details for each child.
A First Aid kit is taken on all excursions.
Excursions involving boating require a higher staff to child ratio and will be under expert professional supervision. Participating children will wear life jackets at all times (public ferries are an exception).
Risk assessment documents (RAMS) will be consulted before each excursion and discussed amongst all attending staff members, as well as senior management at Kohia Terrace School.
Appropriate planning & preparation includes:
All excursions are subject to Kohia Terrace School EOTC risk assessment.
All transport will be undertaken by private bus charter. We consider consent to be granted upon the completed bookings. Confirmation of bookings is subject to the agreement of consent to transportation to the advertised location
If students are travelling in buses for an EOTC event, a staff member is present on each bus..
When contracting a bus company, the school asks for written confirmation that all assigned drivers:
All staff counted in the ratios are 16 years or older. Volunteers do not count towards our ratio. The shift supervisor will be 20 years or older and will be required to remain on site during the programme hours. All staff will have the appropriate level of maturity and experience to effectively supervise (refer to: staffing policy)
A minimum of one qualified first aider will be on-site at all times. We will aim to have at least half of all staff current first aid qualified at all times.
Staff will usually be allocated specified areas and/or activities to supervise (based on rosters) and staff will be within sight and/or sound of the children they are supervising. The programme requires active supervision. When staff are supervising they will be constantly observing all children in the area/activity they are responsible for.
Staff will position themselves so they can best see all the children. Staff will not join in on an activity if they will be unable to maintain good supervision.
Students part of the programme will be required to wear a Kohia Kids Zone cap when outside to ensure ease of identification.
Staff/Volunteers part of the programme will be required to wear a Kohia Kids Zone Vest in either Light Blue (staff) or Purple (volunteer) to ensure ease of identification by children, adults, and vendors.
Staff will not leave the area they are supervising without ensuring it is safe to do so by asking another staff member to supervise the area or moving the children to another place where they will be properly supervised. Kohia Kids Zone Programme Walkie Talkie will be provided for ease of communication across the different areas of the programme.
Staff will make a headcount occasionally and watch boundaries constantly (children are to be made aware of these beforehand).
If a staff member sees any possibility that an activity could cause an accident or injury, they should stop the activity immediately and not allow it to re-start until it can continue safely.
In an emergency, staff will ensure that they respond in a way that does not create a risk of further injury or leave children without adequate supervision. Stay calm and seek help immediately.
Staff will inform the programme manager as soon as possible if there are any injuries, incidents, dangerous behaviour, unsafe equipment etc.
Staff induction, participation and training in health and safety
As part of staff induction, relevant health and safety procedures will be explained including:
Evacuation assembly point - bottom court
Civil defence
If a civil defence emergency is occurring, all children will remain at the programme if possible and staff will await instructions from emergency agencies.
It may be possible to contact parents, but in any case staff will remain with children until they are discharged to their parents/emergency contacts or until other appropriate provisions for their on-going care are made.
If it is necessary to remain for a longer period at the programme, staff will make provision for children’s comfort and warmth.
If evacuation is necessary, parents will be notified if possible. Otherwise information will be posted at the programme venue and local emergency services notified. The evacuation point will depend on the circumstances but may be the local civil defence post.
It may be necessary, before leaving the building, to take steps to turn off power or water supply.
If the evacuation is non-urgent, staff will take essential supplies:
If outside, assemble away from power lines, trees, buildings.
Be alert for aftershocks.
It may be necessary to take steps to turn off power or water supply.
If you are at, or near a beach, move to higher ground (or inland) in case of a tsunami.
Drills for Earthquakes are completed at Kohia Kids Zone once per year.
Lockdown
After School Care - Staff will sign in children at 3pm, during which a roll will be called. Staff will complete a roll call at 5pm. At 6pm staff will ensure all children have been signed out.
Holiday Programme on Site - Parents will sign in their enrolled children. Staff will conduct a formal roll call at approximately 9.30am, after lunch at 1.30pm, and at 3pm after the half day kids have been collected. At 5.30pm staff will ensure all children have been signed out.
Holiday Programmes Trip Days - Parents will sign in their enrolled children. Staff will ensure all kids have been signed in by 9.30am, a formal roll call will be logged before our bus departs for our venue, a mid day head count will be done after lunch at 1.30pm, and at 2.30pm a formal roll call will be logged before our bus departs from our venue. A head count will be done once we return back to the Kohia Terrace School hall. At 5.30pm staff will ensure all children have been signed out. Head counts will be done every time we are on a bus, before the bus departs. Individual groups will conduct head counts every 30 minutes.
The programme shift supervisor is responsible for the role during the programme, which is run through our programme iPad, and the Enrolmy app, or on their personal device with their own staff login which is provided during training. This links directly to the online booking system where all medical and enrolment details, amongst others, are stored. In any emergency evacuation the roll/iPad/or personal phone will be retrieved and taken to the assembly point.
Names and emergency contacts for all children, will be available to staff at all times through the programme iPad, as well as Enrolmy which is accessible on any laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
Parents/Caregivers/Authorised Adults are expected to sign children in/out on the parent kiosk. Staff are expected to sign children in and out of the programme upon citing a parent, caregiver or approved pick up in the case that the Parent Kiosk is unavailable. Parents are expected to provide and maintain a list of adults authorised to collect their children. Children will not be allowed to leave with an unauthorised adult. Authorised adults will be documented on Enrolmy, or, in some cases, written permission via text or email may be given from the parent.
Missing children
Holiday programme policy:
If a child who is expected at the programme has not arrived:
The supervisor will attempt to contact the parents prior to 10am. The supervisor will inform the programme management of any unexpected absences. If a phone call is made and not successful, a follow up text will be sent.
After school care policy:
If a child who is expected at the programme has not arrived:
Staff will consult immediately with school personnel to ascertain if the child was at school and their whereabouts.
Once the child is located the supervisor will follow up with the parents to investigate why the incident occurred and take steps to prevent it occurring again. If necessary, parents will be reminded to notify the programme of any change in bookings/attendance.
Parents are expected to inform the supervisor if they will be dropping children off late or picking them up early. If the group is not in the standard programme drop off/pick up location (Kohia Terrace School hall) and are elsewhere at the programme site (Senior and/or Junior playground), parents must make sure that the staff member immediately supervising their child is made aware that their child has been dropped off or picked up. On the rare occasion at After School Care when the entire group leaves the school hall, a note will be left describing their whereabouts.
Staff will conduct headcounts every 30 minutes. If a child is found to be missing during the programme, having already signed in:
Children arriving/leaving unaccompanied
Parents may request that their child/ren travel to or from the programme unaccompanied. Unless Kohia Kids Zone management agrees to this with the parents directly, all children must be safely accompanied to and from the programme.
Before agreeing to children being unaccompanied, the programme will consider the safety of any proposed arrangement, taking into account the age/s of the child/ren, time of day and distance/route being taken. For after school care arrivals, all children under 7 are required to be accompanied by a Kohia Kids Zone staff member from their classroom. Ages 7 and older may join the programme on their own directly from their classroom. During the Holiday Programme, it is expected that each child, regardless of age, is signed in by a caregiver/parent, or that a parent/caregiver is sighted by a staff member upon drop off unless discussed and agreed otherwise. It is our standard policy to not allow any children to leave on their own, regardless of whether it is ASC, Holiday Programme, or a Special Day.
Any agreement made with the parent regarding a child's independent arrival or departure will be gathered in writing and specify the time children will leave/arrive and be signed by the parent. The programme still reserves the right to not release any child if circumstances are not judged safe, in which case parents will be contacted.
Late Collection of Children
If a child is not collected within ten minutes of the end of a programme the following procedure will be followed:
Early Drop Off
Children can be signed in up to ten minutes before the listed programme start time. If a child is signed in prior to this, an early fee of $1 per minute is applied. This charge is per family, not per child.
Business continuity & disaster recovery
The programme is committed to providing a continuity of service, as feasible and appropriate.
If an alternative venue is required:
Photographs of children may be used for advertising the programme, unless parents state otherwise. This is collected upon enrolment.
Kohia Kid Zone will only collect personal information that we require directly from you. We use it for the following purposes:
Enrolment information is stored securely at the programme venue and also accessible on-line for the programme supervisor, manager and admin staff. Enrolment information will only be kept while the child attends the programme and then will be archived securely. Health and safety records (such as incident reports) may be kept for a longer period and will be securely archived within both the Kohia Terrace Schools database as well as the Kohia Kids Zone Enrolmy platform.
This information will not be shared with other persons or agencies without the consent of the parent / caregiver, except where there is a concern about safety and welfare of a child and as advised by the Police or Oranga Tamariki.
All enrolment and attendance information collected about children and their families is retained by the centre for seven years. This includes health information about the child. Our centre stores this information so that it is retrievable but is otherwise stored securely and safely with controlled access. When information is no longer required, it is will be disposed of in the confidential bin or deleted where it cannot be retrieved.
In the event of a privacy breach that is likely to cause serious harm, the Programme Manager must immediately notify the principal, who will in turn notify the affected individuals/guardians and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.
All KKZ staff are trained regarding their requirements pertaining to Privacy Act 2020, during their induction.
Digital Technology and Online Safety
We take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure it is safe and responsible to include internet use within our programme. Our strategies aim to prevent digital incidents and maintain student wellbeing and safety.
Our digital technology policies and procedures apply to every member of the Kohia Kids Zone community using digital technology, including staff, attendees, parents/caregivers, volunteers, contractors, visitors, and the board. They apply to digital technology owned by the school or owned privately and used at the programme or any other location for a programme-based activity. They also include off-site access to the KTS network if applicable.
Safe and responsible use of digital technology
In keeping with our child centered programme policies, Kohia Kids Zone promotes safe and responsible use of digital technology as a shared responsibility. We do this by:
The Kohia Kids Zone Programme will maintain systems to keep control of day to day finances and provide accountability for expenditure of funds.
The programme manager will monitor programme expenditure. All spending is restricted to amounts determined in the programme budget.
The programme manager is the only staff member with access to programme spending. Any spending required beyond this may only be done with express permission from the programme manager. Petty cash will not be provided as the programme manager is expected to be onsite to cover needs. If any spending occurs by other staff members in the case of an emergency, reimbursement will be provided upon consideration by the manager. We endeavour to provide a cashless service.
It is the manager’s responsibility to:
Quality Improvement
We strive for ongoing improvement for our programme. A key measure we have is to gather feedback from our community of parents/whanau, staff, and children. This feedback is both formal and informal.
Informal feedback is recognised by Kohia Kids Zone as the casual and frequent feedback provided to the manager and other supervisors upon the drop off and pick up of children. This informal feedback is not documented and is intentionally received with an informal evaluation mindset. This is to encourage the continued discourse of the programme's growth and development. If any informal feedback is deemed to be of particular relevance to the quality of the programme, both for better or worse, the community member, either staff, whanau, or potentially child in consultation with their caregiver, will be encouraged to submit their feedback formally.
Staff are offered the opportunity to submit formal and informal feedback regularly. This is done via start or and end of day debriefs, as well as monthly team meetings.
Parents/whanau are offered the opportunity to submit formal feedback via:
-An annual formal review
-Scheduled post-holiday programme surveys
-Anonymous suggestion box
Feedback is analysed and stored for longitudinal data. Where applicable, parents and whanau are updated directly as to the status of their feedback and any relevant changes.
Children are regularly asked for their feedback. We are dedicated to considering the child’s perspective into all program structures. Feedback is gathered via an anonymous suggestion box, group discussions, and dedicated one-on-one consultations to collaboratively address behavioral needs. Child lead feedback is relayed to all staff via documentation and any relevant updates are told to the children directly.
Client Services & Programmes
Programme hours
Before school care: 7.30AM - 8.30AM
After school care: 3.00PM - 6.00PM
Holiday programme: 8.00AM - 5.30PM
Enrolment
All children attending the programme must be enrolled using Enrolmy by the parent, caregiver or other authorised adult.
The adult enrolling the child/ren will then have access to all programme schedules and services. Parents are made aware that by confirming their child/s enrolment, they agree to our terms of service.
At least two emergency contacts must be provided.
The names of all people authorised and unauthorised to collect the child/ren from the centre will be listed on Enrolmy, along with a copy of any custody or access order in place.
Information regarding health conditions, special needs, and cultural background requirements is recorded on Enrolmy.
Parents must also give consent for any off-site activities and other specific activities (e.g. swimming) when requested by the programme, which is ascertained via their online booking.
Children with special needs
Every effort will be made to include children with special needs in Kohia Kids Zone Programmes. All venues and programmes are selected to enable inclusion of children and families with special needs such as learning difficulty, disability and developmental delay.
The programme supervisor will discuss fully with parents the child’s requirements: medication, diet and supervision requirements, which will be recorded with the child’s enrolment form.
The programme supervisor will assess how the child’s needs may be catered for and discuss this approach with parents and staff. The programme supervisor may work in collaboration with Kohia Terrace School to gain more information and advice.
The safety of the child and other children in the programme will be a major consideration. Children cannot be included in the programme if their behaviour or the level of supervision required, compromises programme supervision and safety. The programme supervisor may offer enrolment for an initial trial period.
The programme supervisor will ensure that all staff and volunteers are fully aware of the child’s requirements and that they feel confident to provide the necessary care. Each case will be considered individually and every effort will be made to include the child within the limits of the programme’s resources.
- Children feel safe and receive care, attention and support from staff.
- Children are treated fairly, with dignity and respect.
- The cultures and beliefs of all children and families/whanau are respected.
- Opportunities are provided for children to develop a positive sense of themselves.
- Children develop self-reliance and independence.
- All children of all ability levels can participate in a range of activities.
- The focus of all activities is fun and enjoyment.
- Planned art and craft projects
- Opportunities for homework and development of school work as desired
- Child-directed use of art and craft materials
- Organised sport or active group games
- Organised group quiet games or activities
- Child initiated use of certain games and equipment
- Periods of free play indoors or outdoors
- Plan some activities that reflect the special interests, ethnicities, languages, and cultural backgrounds of children in the programme.
- Adapt activities to suit different/mixed ability levels, as well as particular circumstances when the activity is offered - time of day, weather, behavior of participants etc.
- Allow child flexibility in how and when they participate in any activity.
- Encourage children to try new and unfamiliar activities, and to persist with completing what they have started, but staff will not pressure or punish children who choose not to participate.
- Communicate Standards: KKZ ensures that clear definitions of acceptable and unacceptable behaviour are known to all staff, parents/caregivers, and attendees.
- The Pledge: Attendees commit to the programme's core rules through "The Pledge" (I pledge to: treat others the way I wish to be treated, treat the equipment with respect, and follow the rules). This pledge is highly visible on site and is discussed frequently, especially with new attendees.
- Positive Environment: Staff are expected to maintain positive environments and relationships within the wider programme community.
- Bullying and Harassment: Staff and attendees are trained to recognize bullying and inappropriate behaviour and know how to take appropriate action.
- Consistent Application: Behaviour management strategies are applied consistently.
- Prohibited Practices: Seclusion and corporal punishment are strictly prohibited.
- De-escalation First: Staff must manage challenging behaviour appropriately, prioritizing de-escalation techniques when a student's behaviour poses a danger to themselves or others.
- Physical Restraint: Physical restraint is an absolute last resort, permitted only to prevent imminent harm, and must be performed only by authorized staff according to the established physical restraint guidelines.
- Individualised Support: For students with particular needs, the programme will work with parents/caregivers and outside agencies to develop Individual Support Plans that may supersede general behaviour strategies.
- Exclusion: Students may face temporary or permanent exclusion in cases of extreme misconduct, continual disobedience, or behaviour that risks serious harm, with decisions guided by their individual support plan.
- Receiving house points
- Individual rewards
- Group reward and recognition
- Certificates at our end of year prize giving
- Non-KTS Attendees: For attendees not enrolled at Kohia Terrace School (KTS), parents/caregivers will be directly informed of the incident by programme management.
- KTS Attendees: Programme management will communicate data to KTS leadership to ensure alignment with any existing school-based support plans.
- Recurring Concerns: If inappropriate behaviour occurs two or more times a week, a formal incident report is mandatory and will prompt a review by programme management.
- Physical Aggression: Physical aggression (e.g., hitting, kicking, punching, spitting) or credible verbal threats of aggression is considered an immediate Level 3 incident requiring escalation.
- The Seriousness of the behaviour.
- The Frequency of the behaviour.
- The Impact on the health and safety of the child themselves or others.
- Intervention: Staff will use the child's name, explicitly state the behaviour that needs to stop ("Stop X behavior"), and remind the child of the broken Programme Pledge/Values.
- Self-Regulation: The child is given an opportunity to self-assess and self-regulate. Staff will gently work to ascertain the barrier (the root cause of the distress) to inform the intervention.
- Reminders: The child is reminded of the Consequence Chart (which is clearly displayed and explained regularly), reinforcing that continued non-compliance will lead to a consequence.
- Examples of Breaks: Separating challenging social dynamics, enforcing a break from a specific activity, or providing a quiet, monitored space for a child to self-regulate and regain control with dignity.
- Supervision: A break may involve one-on-one time with a staff member away from the main activity.
- Manager Review: The Programme Manager may enforce a time out in a designated, supervised area, i.e. with the KTS school principal.
- Parent Contact: Depending on the severity and risk to others, parents/caregivers may be called immediately to collect their child.
- Debriefing and Review: A full debrief will be conducted with all involved children, and detailed notes will be taken to complete the formal incident report.
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- ISP Requirement: A formal Individual Support Plan (ISP) may be required by programme management for continued attendance if a child’s behaviour is recurring or presents a risk of harm to themselves or others.
- Parent Involvement: Parents/caregivers will be kept fully informed (via phone/email) regarding the ISP, and children will be informed of the plan in a manner that considers their wellbeing and empowers them to work towards graduating from it.
- Severe Misconduct: In cases of severe and recurring misconduct, continual disobedience, or behaviour posing a serious risk, programme management may arrange a formal meeting with the parents. This may ultimately lead to temporary or permanent exclusion from the programme, as determined by the ISP and risk assessment.
- Identifying Need: Clearly outlining the specific behaviour challenges or medical/health needs that justify the support plan.
- Understanding Triggers: Identifying a child’s potential triggers and the observable distress behaviours they exhibit.
- Strategy Agreement: Agreeing upon positive interventions, which include:
- Positive reward systems.
- De-escalation strategies and appropriate consequences.
[li]Privacy: Strictly adhering to all privacy requirements throughout the process.[/li]
[/ul]
Physical Restraint as a Last Resort
Physical restraint is treated as an absolute last resort.
- Exclusion from Plan: Physical restraint is not included in an ISP unless all other possible strategies have been thoroughly explored and deemed insufficient.
- Informed Consent: If physical restraint is included, the programme requires informed written consent from the parents/caregivers/whānau.
- Monitoring and Minimization: The programme continually monitors the frequency of physical restraint with the clear goal of minimizing and, where possible, eliminating its use entirely.
- Prompt Action: We respond to all concerns and incidents immediately, taking appropriate steps based on the parties involved. Where appropriate, the person raising the concern will receive feedback in accordance with our formal Complaints Procedure.
- Safety and External Agencies: If an incident results in injury, we follow the Accident and First Aid policy. Incidents involving serious physical or sexual violence require immediate escalation to external agencies, including New Zealand Police and Oranga Tamariki, as legally appropriate.
- Record Keeping: All incidents are handled in strict adherence to the Privacy Policy and Record Keeping Policy. This includes limiting access to incident details to those who need to know and maintaining confidentiality to prevent victimisation.
- Children: Attendees are informed on what to do if they are bullied or witness bullying. They are encouraged to speak immediately to any staff member. Adequate staff supervision is maintained at all times to prevent incidents.
- Staff: Staff are encouraged to speak up if they require support regarding bullying or harassment. Concerns or incidents involving staff are handled with the same due process and fairness as any other formal complaint, ensuring clear accountability. Staff concerns about student-related incidents are escalated to Programme Management.
- Legal Compliance: The physical restraint rules outlined in this policy comply with the framework set out by the Education and Training Act 2020 (s 101) and associated rules, which KKZ operates under as an extension of Kohia Terrace School (KTS).
- Equitable Outcomes: We adhere to guidelines developed in response to the disproportionate use of restraint on Māori, disabled, and younger students, giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in support of equitable outcomes.
- Authorisation and Training: Only Board-authorised staff who have completed the relevant training (mandatory online modules and physical holds training) are permitted to use physical restraint.
- It is necessary to prevent imminent harm (including significant emotional distress) to a student or another person.
- The authorised staff member reasonably believes there is no other option available to prevent the harm.
- The physical restraint is reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances (minimum force, minimum time).
- Policy Availability: Our policies on behaviour management and physical restraint are readily available to the community, fulfilling the SSAS requirement for transparent governance and processes.
- Complaints Management: All complaints regarding physical restraint are managed through the KKZ and KTS concerns and complaints procedures. Where necessary, serious complaints are followed up with the appropriate professional bodies.
- Board Authorisation: The KTS Board formally and explicitly authorises KKZ staff in writing to use physical restraint after they have met the required training standards.
- The programme develops ISPs for students likely to be involved in restraint situations or those who have been restrained more than once in a term.
- Physical restraint is not included in an ISP unless all other strategies have been explored, and it requires informed written consent from parents/caregivers and whānau.
- The programme monitors the frequency of physical restraint with the intention to minimise and eliminate its use, which satisfies the SSAS requirement for continuous quality improvement.
- Parent Notification: After an incident, staff inform the Principal (or delegate), and the programme notifies parents/caregivers as soon as possible (at minimum before the attendee leaves the programme). Parents/Caregivers are offered an opportunity to debrief within three working days.
- Reporting: The school notifies the Ministry of Education through the online incident reporting system, and the Principal reports the use and analysis of restraint trends to the Board. This ensures the data is captured for legislative purposes.
- Wellbeing Check: The programme ensures the physical and psychological wellbeing of both the restrained attendee and the staff member involved is monitored, and support is provided to address any adverse effects, aligning with the SSAS focus on holistic wellbeing.
- The child's behaviour constitutes gross misconduct or continued disobedience (as defined in the Behaviour Management Policy).
- The behaviour poses an imminent and significant risk of harm to themselves or others.
- The child or parent/caregiver fails to comply with the conditions of a required Individual Support Plan (ISP).
- Final Warning/Intervention: Programme Management provides a final intervention and clear written warning to parents/caregivers that continuation of the concerning behaviour will result in exclusion.
- Notification: If exclusion is necessary, Programme Management will notify the student and their parents/caregivers in writing of the decision, including:
- The reason for the exclusion.
- The duration of the exclusion (temporary or permanent).
- The date the exclusion takes effect.
- The procedures for appeal or review (referencing the KKZ Complaints Procedure).
- Consultation: Programme Management will consider all information, including documentation from the Incident Reporting System, and where appropriate, consult with the child and parents/caregivers before the final decision is made.
- Definitions
- Physical abuse - any acts that may result in physical harm to a child or young person.
- Sexual abuse - any acts that involve forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not they are aware of what is happening.
- Emotional abuse - any act of omission that results in adverse or impaired psychological, social, intellectual, and emotional functioning or development.
- Neglect - the persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical or psychological needs, leading to adverse or impaired physical or emotional functioning or development.
- Family Violence may be witnessed/experienced by children and involve physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.
- Training
- The programme policy and commitment to child protection.
- Procedures for supervising children and minimising the risk of an allegation of inappropriate behaviour.
- What to do if abusive behaviour is observed.
- The process for reporting any concerns.
- How to respond to a disclosure of abuse.
- Identifying Child Abuse and Neglect
- Physical signs of abuse: unexplained injuries, burns, fractures, unusual or excessive itching, genital injuries, sexually transmitted diseases.
- Neglect: looking rough and uncared for, dirty, without appropriate clothing, underweight.
- Medical neglect: Skin disorders or other untreated medical issues.
- Developmental delays: small for their age, cognitive delays, falling behind in school, poor speech and social skills.
- Emotional abuse/neglect: sleep problems, low self esteem, obsessive behaviour, inability to cope in social situations, sadness/loneliness and evidence of self-harm.
- The child talking about things that indicate abuse (sometimes called an allegation or disclosure).
- Neglectful supervision: out and about unsupervised, left alone, no safe home to return to.
- Responding to child abuse
- Responding to a disclosure/concern about abuse
- When an allegation of abuse is made against a staff member
- Peer Abuse
- Child and staff safety – supervision and conduct guidelines
- Background checks and risk assessments.
- The welfare and best interest of the children.
- Suitability to the role.
- Management plans for employment.
- Actively managing the risk of harm through effective supervision, regular safety checks and risk assessment
- Providing staff with appropriate information and training, as well as regular opportunities to participate in safety planning and to discuss incidents or concerns
- Informing everyone in the programme about safety precautions – children, parents etc.
- Regular recording and reporting of safety checks, incidents and concerns, including consultation or co-ordination as required with key stakeholders (School BOT, MSD, OSCN etc.)
- Regular monitoring and review of safety practices in all areas of the programme
- Reporting to governance body/owner on health and safety matters
- Appropriate planning and preparation for emergencies, including natural disasters
- ensuring access to phone/radio communication while away from centre
- implementing a buddy system - children put into pairs and made responsible for their buddy
- scheduling of regular roll checks (formal and informal)
- ensure staff have adequate knowledge of destination
- ensuring adequate transport is arranged
- instructing children about safe road crossing
- revising clear safety guidelines for walking in groups on footpaths etc.
- briefing for children on behaviour and safety before they leave centre and before they enter a venue
- are licensed to carry passengers (i.e. they have a passenger endorsement)
- have passed a "fit and proper person check" by Waka Kotahi
- have been safety checked and vetted as required by the Children's Act 2014.
- duty of care and the staff code of conduct
- programme hazards and safe use of equipment and facilities
- programme rules and boundaries
- programme supervision
- emergency procedures
- sign in/out requirements (digital and paper process if internet is down)
- medical and special needs, including food allergies
- food hygiene
- cyber safety, information technology training, and staff responsibilities as they relate to client privacy
- Children will inform a staff member when they are going to go to the toilet except when in the school hall.
- If using public toilets, students will go in pairs and a staff member will be monitoring outside the toilet.
- Staff will not use any toilets while they are in use by children.
- Staff will immediately inform the programme supervisor
- Appropriate first aid will be administered
- If a child needs medical attention, parents will be contacted to ascertain if they want to take the child themselves or would prefer staff to take them to the medical centre of their choice. If parents or alternative contacts are unavailable the child will be taken to the nearest available medical facility. Programme management will also be informed of the situation as soon as possible.
- If serious injury occurs, parents will be notified and an ambulance called.
- If the situation is urgent, the supervisor will take necessary actions and inform parents and the programme management as soon as possible.
- A notifiable injury or illness is one that requires the person to have immediate treatment (other than first aid) for: amputation of any part of his or her body; serious head or eye injury, or a serious burn; separation of his or her skin from an underlying tissue (such as degloving or scalping); a spinal injury; the loss of a bodily function; serious lacerations; OR to be admitted to a hospital for immediate treatment OR have medical treatment within 48 hours of exposure to a substance.
- A notifiable injury or illness also includes any serious infection to which the carrying out of work is a significant contributing factor
- A notifiable incident means that someone has been exposed to a serious or immediate risk to their health and safety because of an unplanned or uncontrolled work incident
- The child's name
- Clear instructions regarding how to administer
- The dosage required
- The frequency
- Any other information programme management deems necessary for the safety of the staff and child/ren.
- All emergency exits are clearly displayed.
- Emergency exits are regularly checked to be in working order and free of obstructions.
- Evacuation procedures are displayed, clearly indicating where people can assemble safely outside the building.
- Contacting emergency services, as required
- Allocating staff to check toilets, kitchen, office, junior playground, senior playground.
- Allocating staff to supervise children during evacuation.
- Ensure everyone immediately proceeds calmly to safe assembly points, walk, do not run.
- Collect attendance register (iPad), cell phone and/or emergency plan folder (including emergency contact information for all children).
- All contact information for children
- First aid kit
- Radio
- Drinking water
- Toilet paper
- Plastic rubbish bags
- Any special medication, inhalers etc.
- Raise the alarm.
- Evacuate.
- If safe to do so, extinguish the fire.
- Keep children at the assembly point until danger has passed.
- NB: the venue fire alarm IS monitored directly by the fire service.
- Staff to give clear instructions: “Earthquake, take cover.”
- Drop, take cover under a desk or table and hold onto the legs until the shaking stops.
- Keep away from shelves containing heavy objects and other large items of furniture.
- Keep away from windows.
- Stay indoors until the shaking stops and it's safe to go outside.
- Raise the alarm verbally to all staff. (The overhead alarm may sound or may not be triggered by the event).
- All staff and children to assemble on the hall stage quietly, lying down, awaiting instructions
- Supervisor and one designated staff member will get the lockdown folder, lock the doors, and begin lockdown procedures.
- Stay in lockdown positions until relevant authorities (NZ Police, Animal Control, Center Management etc) have confirmed it is safe to carry on.
- Stay indoors.
- Close windows and external doors.
- Close curtains to reduce risk from broken glass.
- Move to the centre of the room, away from windows, or to an internal room.
- If the child is missing an immediate search will be conducted of school grounds and immediate locality.
- The programme supervisor will be notified and consulted about next steps.
- If the child is not found, parents and/or emergency contacts for the child will be contacted. If parents are also not aware of the child's location we will liaise with the principal and other pertinent school staff. Programme management will be notified of the situation.
- The supervisor may also follow up on information provided by the parents and conduct a wider search e.g. along the route to the child’s home, or at a usual waiting point which may be a short walk from the school.
- If the child can still not be located, the Police will be notified by 3.45pm.
- Staff will check their head count and buddy check to be certain the child is missing.
- Check programme sign in/out records.
- Notify the programme supervisor and consult about next steps.
- Check with children and staff about when the child was last seen.
- Check all toilets thoroughly – enter and check cubicles. Check other possible hiding places such as cupboards and rooms.
- Search programme grounds and immediate locality.
- If the child is not found, parents and/or emergency contacts for the child will be contacted.
- Programme management will be notified of the situation.
- The supervisor may also follow up on information and conduct a wider search.
- If the child can still not be located, the Police will be notified.
- The shift supervisor will remain with the child – it may be necessary to call programme management for assistance.
- Parents and emergency contacts will be contacted and programme management informed.
- If there has been no contact with the parents within 45 minutes total of the programme closing, including the ten courtesy minutes, the child will be taken to the nearest police station. A note will be left at the venue indicating where the child has been taken and the programme management will be informed.
- Te Kahu Kahui will be notified as soon as a potential venue has been identified and the programme will follow the advice of Te Kahu Kahui staff to secure Te Kahu Kahui Approval at the new facility. This will include a risk assessment process for the new facility. Relevant Work and Income staff will also be advised.
- Parents will be advised of new facilities and any new arrangements re- arrival or releasing children from the venue.
- Children will be gradually orientated to the new facility as part of the programme activities.
- Food will be prepared in the kitchen area on the bench, except when cooking is a programme activity. Programme activities are not subject to the SSS FSP.
- The kitchen will be checked for cleanliness before each session.
- Wash hands before handling food
- Cover cuts and abrasions with a water-proof dressing. Gloves are supplied in case required.
- Staff who may be unwell will not be involved in food handling for 48 hours.
- All children will be reminded to wash their hands before eating.
- All fruit and vegetables are washed before use.
- Any food requiring heating will only be by members of staff and there will be care to ensure proper temperature and timing.
- All utensils and surfaces will be washed thoroughly after use.
- Open ingredients will be labeled and stored in clean sealed containers and refrigerated as required.
- Uneaten served food will be thrown out after one hour of serving.
- Food will be regularly checked for spoilage and expiration date with all new groceries undergoing a rotation.
- Dish cloths and aprons are replaced daily and regularly washed. Tea towels will be used for mopping up spills or other programme activities, not for sanitising the kitchen or cleaning hands.
- Food that has been prepared will be covered until it is served for eating.
- Rubbish containers for waste food-stuffs will be emptied daily. No permanent rubbish container will be stored in the kitchen.
- Cleaning equipment and chemicals are stored separately from food and food utensil in a locked cupboard under the kitchen sinks
- Children are only permitted to enter the kitchen area under adult supervision.
- Responding to general questions about the privacy of the programme
- Managing requests for personal information
- Managing complaints about privacy
- Liaising with the Privacy Commissioner in investigations if required
- Informing the clients of KKZ of serious privacy breaches or risks to the security of personal information Kohia Kid Zone holds.
- To contact you directly regarding your enrolment, such as bookings, fees, outings etc.
- To contact you directly regarding your child whilst he/she is at KKZ;
- To follow up or pursue any queries you have made;
- To inform the Ministry of Health regarding outbreaks of infectious diseases;
- To assist with applications for childcare subsidies.
- Setting Clear Expectations and Commitment:
- The programme sets and shares clear requirements for acceptable and unacceptable digital use.
- All community members (staff, attendees, etc.) must formally commit to these rules by signing an appropriate use agreement.
- Developing Digital Competence:
- KKZ encourages attendees to be confident, capable, and competent users of digital technology.
- Attendees are guided to demonstrate honesty, integrity, and ethical behaviour online.
- Assume Public Visibility: Staff must operate under the assumption that all information published online may become public, regardless of privacy settings.
- Maintain Professional Boundaries: Staff must be vigilant about safe and appropriate out-of-school contact with attendees via all digital channels (social media, text, email).
- They must carefully consider accepting or extending friend/connection requests with students, parents, or whānau.
- Personal social media should not be used during work hours/time.
- A non-school email address must be used for all personal social media interactions.
[li]Reporting: Staff must report any inappropriate communication from a student to the Principal as soon as possible.[/li]
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Staff with concerns about social media use can seek guidance from programme management, and any related complaints are handled through the standard Concerns and Complaints Policy.
Computer Security and Cyber Security
Kohia Kids Zone (KKZ), overseen by Kohia Terrace School, is committed to the financially responsible and privacy-protected management of all programme assets, following the guidelines of the Privacy Act 2020.
The primary goal is to create a secure and safe online environment by employing appropriate cybersecurity measures to protect IT infrastructure, data, and digital resources from unauthorized access.
The Principal and Board are ultimately responsible for computer security and cybersecurity. All staff using programme devices are required to take appropriate care of them, including secure storage and maintaining digital security measures.
Access security & Data Protection
We restrict access to personal information or sensitive data (e.g. limiting access to staff who require it as part of their duties, ensuring discussions of sensitive information are confidential).
All school/programme devices and accounts are password protected and we expect school community members to create, use, and manage passwords securely and keep them confidential.
At Kohia Kids Zone, we aim to maintain the integrity and confidentiality of programme information.
We store data for an appropriate length of time based upon their varied and unique governing agencies and requirements.
Software security
We take a number of measures to ensure software settings are managed effectively, including:
- setting up software permissions and email security settings appropriately
- updating our permissions and settings as needed
- monitoring alerts and taking any necessary actions
- Set an annual budget in consultation with Kohia Terrace School
- Maintain clear, up-to-date financial records and monitor cash flow spending limits / controls
- Ensure government funding is accounted for separately from other income
- Maintain whenever possible a reserve of funds, set aside for adverse financial circumstances.
- Kohia Terrace School Annual accounts can be found on the school website
- Kohia Terrace School GST number is 65-255-758
- Approach the programme manager who will attempt to resolve the matter.
- If the parent is still unsatisfied they should contact Kohia Terrace School.
- Further concerns/complaints must be made in writing and must contain details of the grievance and desired outcomes. The manager will respond to the complaint within 14 days. Where possible, a mutually agreeable outcome will be sought.