Screen Sector Release – 8 March 2022

ScreenSafe is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people in the New Zealand screen sector.

ScreenSafe has zero tolerance for child abuse. All allegations and child safety concerns are treated seriously and consistently with our guideline, policies and procedures.

ScreenSafe is committed to providing guidance on child safe environments where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard. Particular attention is paid to the cultural safety of Māori children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability and those who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and/or intersex. Our complaints process is child-focused and responsive to the concerns of children and young people.

Every person involved in the New Zealand screen sector has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role they play both individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people in the screen sector is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

What are these guidelines and who is covered by them?

These guidelines set minimum recommended standards for the screen sector to create and maintain child safe environments, free from abuse, exploitation and hazards. These guidelines:

• affirm our commitment to the safety and well-being of children and young people in the screen sector;
• inform all production companies, producers, managers, directors, cast and crew of their obligations to act ethically towards children and young people, and their roles and responsibilities in ensuring the safety and well-being of children and young people; and
• give guidance on the processes and procedures that aim to ensure children and young people’s safety and well-being across all areas of screen sector work.

These guidelines are for all people who conduct work in the screen sector in a paid or unpaid capacity including, but not limited to: production companies, producers, managers, directors, cast, crew, students on placement, volunteers, interns, trainees, contractors, consultants and visitors on set.

When referring to protection from abuse and neglect, a child is defined anyone under 18 years of age. For the purposes of workplace health & safety legislation and regulations, a child is defined as anyone under 16 years of age.

These guidelines support the requirements of Appendix 1 of the SPADA & New Zealand Actors’ Equity Individual Performance Agreement 2014.

These guidelines are informed by the following legislation and standards:

• The Children’s Act 2014
• Children’s (Requirements for Safety Checks of Children’s Workers) Regulations 2015
• The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
• The Education Act 1989

See the links here to the full documents of the Child Safety Guidelines, Code of Conduct and Safety Report:

ScreenSafe Child Safety Guidelines

ScreenSafe Child Safety Code of Conduct

ScreenSafe Child Safety Report Document

ScreenSafe would like to thank Safeguard the Children for the support in creating these ScreenSafe Child Safety Guidelines.

Thank you to NZ on Air and NZ Film Commission for funding this important review.