Policy
Travel – within New Zealand and overseas
We must ensure the oranga (wellbeing, health, safety and security) of tamariki and rangatahi we have responsibilities for and others while they are travelling within New Zealand or internationally.Update made to this policy
The following section has been added:
In the event of an emergency or unexpected circumstance that has not been planned for
Supporting practice
Our practice is supported by our practice framework (encompassing our models and practice standards), our care standards, and tools and resources.
When this policy applies
This policy applies when tamariki and rangatahi we are working with are travelling within New Zealand or overseas with Oranga Tamariki kaimahi, including contractors such as resource workers, or when we are arranging travel on their behalf.
This includes tamariki and rangatahi in our care or custody, including those in a care and protection residence, community home, supervised group home or remand home when an escort arrangement is not required.
Specific approvals are needed when tamariki or rangatahi travel overseas.
When this policy doesn't apply
This policy does not apply to escorting arrangements being made for tamariki and rangatahi who are living in a care and protection residence or youth justice residence, community home, supervised group home or remand home.
Policy: Escorting tamariki and rangatahi
If kaimahi are supporting the travel, the corporate travel policy applies.
Staff resource: Driver and vehicle policy
Staff resource: Driver and vehicle standard operating procedure
Considerations for travel
Before we make travel arrangements for tamariki or rangatahi in our care, custody or guardianship, a number of factors must be considered.
Before every trip, we consider:
- the purpose of the travel
- the age and developmental stage of te tamaiti or rangatahi
- the views and preferences of te tamaiti or rangatahi, their whānau or family, and their caregivers
- how we ensure the oranga of te tamaiti or rangatahi before, during and after travel
- who the most appropriate people are to accompany te tamaiti or rangatahi
- who will be the designated emergency contact in the case of an emergency or unexpected event such as illness
- whether it is appropriate for te tamaiti or rangatahi to travel unaccompanied, taking into consideration whether this is a familiar journey or the first time they will make this trip
- how long the travel is going to take and the duration of any overseas or domestic stays
- the most appropriate mode of transport – for example, bus, plane or Oranga Tamariki vehicle
- any other factors, such as whether te tamaiti or rangatahi has a disability or essential medication
- any national or regional health regulations in place.
If kaimahi are travelling with te tamaiti or rangatahi, we must ensure that they are not working to the point of tiredness, fatigue or stress that hinders their ability to carry out their responsibilities. Consideration must be given to whether an overnight accommodation or additional kaimahi are required to ensure this.
When determining the most appropriate mode of travel, it is important to consider the oranga of:
- te tamaiti or rangatahi
- people accompanying them
- the public.
Travel arrangements for or on behalf of tamariki and rangatahi are booked through CYRAS using the CYRAS travel forms. Consult the CYRAS handbook for further information on completing travel forms.
Understanding the risks of travel
Safe arrangements must be in place when tamariki and rangatahi are travelling.
Before every trip, we must understand whether there are any risks to te tamaiti or rangatahi, people travelling with them, or the public and take steps to mitigate them.
Understanding the risks means that we must consider the overall oranga of te tamaiti or rangatahi, including consideration of circumstances or events that may cause particular stress or distress for te tamaiti or rangatahi and that could lead to unexpected or out-of-character risky behaviour.
We must feel comfortable the travel can occur safely, without any unnecessary risk of harm to te tamaiti or rangatahi, people accompanying them and the public.
If we are not able to eliminate identified risks, we must consider what added precautions we could take to mitigate any risks and ensure the oranga (wellbeing, health, safety and security) of te tamaiti or rangatahi, people accompanying them, or the public – for example, having another person accompany us or choosing a safer mode of transport.
If we are not able to mitigate any identified risks, and te tamaiti or rangatahi is moving to or from a care and protection residence, community home, supervised group home, remand home or from Police custody to Oranga Tamariki custody, consider whether an escort is required.
Travelling unaccompanied
If, after careful consideration of all of the above travel considerations, it is agreed that it is appropriate for te tamaiti or rangatahi to travel unaccompanied, we must ensure that:
- the views of te tamaiti or rangatahi have been sought and they agree with the travel arrangements and feel supported to travel safely
- for longer journeys, we comply with any additional oversights that are required for Unaccompanied Minors (such as policies for airlines or bus companies)
- an emergency plan is in place that includes a designated contact person being available for the duration of the travel, as well as a plan for who will contact them if necessary
- adequate consideration is given to the oranga (wellbeing, health, safety and security) of te tamaiti or rangatahi, and others, while in transit
- arrangements are in place for the whole journey, including for te tamaiti or rangatahi to be met at the end of the travel.
In the event of an emergency or unexpected circumstance that has not been planned for
In the event of an emergency or unexpected circumstance that has not been planned for, the primary focus of kaimahi travelling with te tamaiti or rangatahi is to ensure the safety and oranga of tamariki or rangatahi and kaimahi.
Where there is an immediate risk to safety, kaimahi must call 111 and request the appropriate emergency service.
Kaimahi must follow the instructions of Police or civil defence emergency management authorities during a civil emergency. If no immediate advice is available from Police or civil defence emergency management authorities, kaimahi should follow the nationally recognised guidance on what to do during and after an emergency. A hard or downloaded copy of information on responding to specific hazards must be carried by people travelling with te tamaiti or rangatahi in case internet access is unavailable.
What to do in an emergency | National Emergency Management Agency
Where assistance is required to secure the safety and oranga of te tamaiti or rangatahi, kaimahi or the public, travelling kaimahi should seek assistance from available authorities or responsible persons, such as airport staff or transport personnel.
If kaimahi are unable to safely complete the trip as planned, they should return te tamaiti or rangatahi to their caregivers if it is safe and practicable to do so or move to a safe location while further instructions are sought.
In all circumstances, as soon as practicable, the escort kaimahi must contact their emergency contact (or the national contact centre, if after hours) and advise them of:
- the nature of the emergency or unexpected event
- what actions they have taken, including those to secure immediate safety
- current location and situation update
- proposed next steps.
The designated emergency contact is responsible for:
- passing on any critical information to other parties, such as those receiving te tamaiti or rangatahi at the end of the trip
- supporting the making of alternative arrangements, such as accommodation
- ensuring kaimahi are kept informed of civil defence advice in the case of civil emergency
- providing operational support and advice as required
- agreeing next steps.
Consent for travel for tamariki and rangatahi who are not in our care or custody
On occasion, we may travel with, or arrange travel for, tamariki or rangatahi we are working with who are not in our care or custody. This must only occur with the consent of the person who has custody of them. It's preferable that the consent is in writing (for example, by text or email) but verbal consent is acceptable. We must record that we sought and received consent, who gave consent (if only one parent was spoken to) and any discussions we had in a casenote in CYRAS.
Travelling by car
If tamariki or rangatahi are travelling by car with Oranga Tamariki kaimahi, this must be in an Oranga Tamariki vehicle or one hired for this purpose by Oranga Tamariki.
All vehicles used must be warranted and registered, and drivers must hold a full driver licence.
When we are travelling with (or arranging travel on behalf of) tamariki and rangatahi we are working with, the driver and vehicle policy, the driver and vehicle standard operating procedure and the travel policy apply:
Staff resource: Driver and vehicle policy (PDF 557 KB)
Staff resource: Driver and vehicle standard operating procedure (PDF 569 KB)
Staff resource: Travel policy (PDF 202 KB)
Vehicle restraints
All tamariki under 7 years of age must be correctly secured in an approved child restraint appropriate for their age and size for every ride.
Tamariki aged 7 years must be correctly secured in an approved child restraint if one is available, and if not, in any child restraint or safety belt that is available.
Tamariki aged 8 to 14 years are not required to use a child restraint but must use safety belts where available. If no restraint is available, carefully consider the safety of the travel.
People aged over 14 must wear safety belts where they are available.
Child restraints save lives – brochure | NZ Transport Agency (PDF 1.3 MB)
Non-smoking and vaping environment
The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 prohibits smoking and vaping in vehicles where tamariki or rangatahi under the age of 18 are present, whether the vehicle is stationary or moving. Anyone caught smoking or vaping in a vehicle where tamariki or rangatahi are present can be fined.
Travelling by air
If we have decided air travel is the most appropriate mode of transport, we must ensure the travel arrangements are consistent with the airline's requirements.
Individual airlines have their own policies around age and maturity in relation to tamariki travelling alone which must be followed when booking tickets and travelling.
For Air New Zealand flights:
For Jetstar flights:
- Young passengers travelling alone | Jetstar
- Independent travellers and accompanying passengers | Jetstar
Aviation Security Service staff are able to screen and undertake reasonable searches of any person boarding aircraft, including searches of tamariki or rangatahi.
Overseas travel
Proposed planning for international travel must include consideration of the government travel advisories. Only in exceptional circumstances will travel be approved to countries or regions with a travel advice level of 'Avoid non-essential travel' (previously 'high risk') or 'Do not travel' (previously 'extreme risk'). In this situation, the International Child Protection Unit must be consulted with about the proposed overseas travel.
Consent from guardians
Written consent from all guardians is required for all overseas travel. This must be gained at the beginning of the planning process.
Types of court orders – guardianship
If te tamaiti or rangatahi is under the wardship of the court, written consent must be obtained from the Family Court.
If consent is not given
If there is disagreement between guardians or consent is not given, we must further explore the guardians' reasons for this to see if agreement can be reached and consent received.
Guardians may have legitimate reasons or concerns that need to be resolved before consent is given. We must consider whether the reasons given by the guardians outweigh the need for te tamaiti or rangatahi to travel.
If no agreement can be reached and consent is not given, the travel cannot proceed without direction and written consent from the Family Court. Application for additional guardianship can be sought generally or for the specific purpose of considering overseas travel.
An application for the chief executive to be appointed as additional guardian would not be put forward by Oranga Tamariki unless we believed the travel was beneficial and in the best interests of te tamaiti or rangatahi. Any application for the chief executive to be appointed as an additional guardian to enable overseas travel must be discussed with a regional commissioner, Legal Services and the International Child Protection Unit.
Proposed travel arrangements
If te tamaiti or rangatahi is travelling overseas without a guardian, the social worker for te tamaiti or rangatahi must ensure that te tamaiti or rangatahi has an identified adult who is able to make or manage any guardianship decisions that may be required while away, including medical decisions.
In some circumstances, we may need to appoint a guardian for the specific purpose of the trip – for example, longer stays such as high school exchanges. We must consult with Legal Services and the Oranga Tamariki International Child Protection Unit if we think this may be necessary.
Email: ICPU@ot.govt.nz
If te tamaiti or rangatahi is travelling overseas with no caregiver or guardian present (for example, a school trip), the social worker must ascertain that the trip is appropriately organised and supervised.
If te tamaiti or rangatahi is travelling overseas to stay with a temporary or holiday caregiver, an overseas assessment and approval of the temporary or holiday caregiver must be completed.
Request for overseas assessment of caregivers – holiday placement template (DOC 112 KB)
Approval
Overseas travel of less than 28 consecutive days
- When guardians agree, agreement is from the lawyer for child and approval is from the site manager.
- When guardians disagree, agreement is from the site manager, lawyer for child and regional commissioner and approval is from the DCE Tamariki and Whānau Services.
Overseas travel of 28 or more consecutive days
- When guardians agree, agreement is from the site manager and lawyer for child and approval is from the regional commissioner.
- When guardians disagree, agreement is from the site manager, lawyer for child and regional commissioner and approval is from the DCE Tamariki and Whānau Services.
The overseas travel checklist must be completed before travel is booked. An after-hours casenote must be recorded in CYRAS and CGIS, with the international travel documentation attached.
Overseas travel – flowchart and checklist (PDF 248 KB)
Memo template: Approval for holiday travel across international borders (DOCX 86 KB)
Practice framework prompts for this policy
Our practice is framed in te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi), based on a mana-enhancing paradigm for practice and draws from te ao Māori principles of oranga within the context of our role in statutory child protection and youth justice in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our practice framework helps us make sense of and organise our practice.
Ngākau whakairo
How will I ensure that the views and wishes of te tamaiti or rangatahi are taken into account when travel is being planned for them?
Ngākau whakairo practice framework domain
Whai mātauranga
Whose knowledge will I draw on to inform my risk assessment when planning travel?
Whai mātauranga practice framework domain
Whai oranga
What steps have I taken to promote the oranga of te tamaiti or rangatahi before, during and after their travel? Are there parts of the travel that could be difficult for te tamaiti or rangatahi, and if so, what plans have I made?
Whai oranga practice framework domain
Whai pūkenga
How will I facilitate conversations for guardians to remain fully involved and resolve any potential differences about any travel, including overseas, in a way that respects the views of all involved?
Whai pūkenga practice framework domain
Whai ākona
Have I had any experiences in the past where a risk has arisen for te tamaiti or rangatahi, myself or others while travelling with tamariki or rangatahi? What learning can I take from that and apply to my future practice?