Encountering Child Abuse

Introduction

Community Probation Service staff and contractors may become aware of child abuse (past or present) through their contact with offenders.

Indicators of child abuse

Child abuse may be discovered through the following means:

Means	Example
Observation	Children's appearance or behaviour at the offender's home. Reference: This Chapter, Signs of Child Abuse.
Offender disclosure	An offender may discuss problems with his or her child, or with another person's children. An offender may disclose that they have committed offences against children.
Third party disclosure	Someone that a staff member is talking to about an offender may have concerns about that offender.
Institutional knowledge	An offender tells a Probation Officer that x is his/her partner and the Officer knows that x is a sex offender.

Proposed release of child abuse offenders

Consideration must be given to the safety of any children residing at or likely to visit the offender's proposed release address if an offender has been:

convicted of an offence against a child or young person and awaiting sentencing or,
serving an imprisonment sentence for an offence against a child or young person and is being considered for release.

Where any such children or young people have been identified, this must be drawn to the attention of:

NZPB,
The Court
CYF, and
whichever authorities are involved in the matter.

Reference: Vol 1, Part III, Release from Prison Reports (please refer to the related links section on this page).

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