The work of the network will uphold and promote

• Te Tiriti o Waitangi;

• the articles of the UNCRPD, UNCRC and UNDRIP; 

• The Enabling Good Lives principles; 

• Me tiaki te mana o te Tamaiti - Protect the mana of the Child

• compassionate and relationship based approaches;

• Non punitive, restorative approaches embedded across whole schools and local communities.

Te Tiriti O Waitangi: 

The trust will do this by ensuring an ongoing and authentic partnership with tangata whenua in the governance, strategic planning and work of the trust; and ensuring that we share information and research that is aligned with te ao Māori concepts and approaches of understanding and healing trauma. 

United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP): 

The trust will endeavour to give regard to the rights of indigenous people as per the articles in the UNDRIP and ensure their right to self determination. 

United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child (UNCRC): 

The trust will do this by ensuring a focus on equity and rights of every child, prioritisation of their best interests and their right to be heard and to express themselves on all matters that affect them. 

United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD): 

The trust will do this by ensuring a focus on the rights of disabled people and children as per the articles of the UNCRPD, in particular the right to inclusive education as defined by General Comment 4 on article 24 within the UNCRPD.  The trust will also give regard to the core principles in the UNCRPD which are: respect for inherent dignity, non-discrimination, full and effective participation, and equality of opportunity.  

Enabling Good Lives (EGL) Principles:

The EGL principles support and promote inclusion of disabled children, people and their whānau by promoting access to mainstream spaces, mana enhancing experiences, focusing on relationship building and self determination.  

Me tiaki te mana o te Tamaiti - To protect the mana of the Child:

We believe children are taonga and must be valued as such. Educational experiences must enhance the mana of every child and build their capabilities, and value them for who they are and what they bring. In particular, we must protect those who are marginalised and discriminated against by the education system and other life experiences. 

“Ko te ahurei o te tamaiti arahia o tatou mahi".

Let the uniqueness of the child guide our work.” 

Compassionate and relationship based approaches:

Relational approaches are absolutely essential to children feeling safe, establishing a sense of belonging and self worth. Research shows positive strong relationships between students and teachers have a significant impact on engagement in learning, achievement, and overall wellbeing of the student; and being connected with an adult who is accepting, present and supportive can impact resilience, mental health and wellbeing of children. 

Non punitive, restorative and supportive approaches:

Punitive measures such as time outs, stand downs, suspensions and exclusions can cause further harm, discrimination and trauma for ākonga who are already struggling and lagging skills to cope with the unrealistic demands and expectations set by the environment and people around them. Restorative and supportive approaches allow space and time for understanding the root cause of distress related incidents, healing for all involved, making environmental changes if required and teaching skills to support better ways of being and interacting.