maintaining records. Under Regulation 60 the hostel owner must ensure that the records required by Regulation 59 are created and maintained with an appropriate degree of confidentiality and retained at least one year after the boarder has left the hostel or if the owner is a public office under the Public Records Act 2005, as required by that Act. Regulation 60 also provides that the records are available for inspection and copying at any reasonable time by persons authorised under the Education Act 1989. Complaints and Procedures A complaint made by a boarder’s parent, a boarder or Board may be made in writing or orally to the hostel owner, concerning hostel non-compliance. The owner must put an oral complaint in writing as soon as practicable. Regulation 68 sets out the procedure for resolving complaints as follows- the hostel owner puts oral complaints into writing as soon as practicable; and the complaint is (unless earlier resolved to the complainant’s satisfaction) acknowledged in writing within five working days or receipt; and the complainant is informed of any relevant internal complaints procedures; and the owner’s response to the complaint is documented; and the complainant receives a copy of all information held by the owner that is or may be relevant to the complaint; and the owner decides whether the complaint is justified in accordance with Regulation 69. Under Regulation 69 the hostel owner must decide whether the complaint is or is not justified within ten working days of receiving the complaint, or additional time is needed to investigate. If additional time is needed, the owner must decide how much additional time is needed to investigate and decide whether the complaint is justified. If the additional time required for investigating is more than twenty working days the owner must inform the complainant of this, the reasons for the determination and that the owner is required to decide as soon as practicable whether the complaint is justified. Note: “Working day” is defined in the Interpretation Act 1999 as a day of the week excluding- A Saturday, a Sunday, Waitangi Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, the Sovereign’s Birthday, and Labour Day; and
all permanent staff members are adults? all permanent staff members, and all people (excluding boarders and parents) who have regular access to the hostel or have unsupervised contact with boarders, are the subject of rigorous suitability checks (including Police vetting)? no staff member has been convicted of a crime involving dishonesty and sentenced for that crime within the preceding 7 years, and no staff member has been convicted of any offence involving harm to children or violence, and no staff member has been convicted of any sexual offence, or is unfit to be a staff member because of mental illness or serious behavioural problems? there is substantial supervision of ancillary, contract, temporary, or voluntary staff, and others who visit the hostel occasionally and who have not been the subject of a suitability check? staff and boarders are encouraged to maintain positive relationships with each other? security measures are used to prevent unauthorised access to the hostel’s premises? [Regulation 61(2)] Please tick all questions including bullet points Yes No Unsure 3 Have the following persons, if they have regular access to the hostel or unsupervised contact with boarders, provided the Ministry of Education with a Police vet – the owner, if he/she is an individual any director or person concerned in the management if the owner is a body corporate. [Regulation 61(2A)] 4 Does the hostel owner ensure that the hostel is at all times staffed with a ratio of staff to boarders present at the hostel that ensures the safety of those boarders having regard to-