Safety at Dilworth

Safety at Dilworth School

Dilworth School cares deeply about the safety, welfare, and wellbeing of those in our school community.

We are fully committed to providing a safe and supportive environment where students can achieve personal excellence.

Dilworth has a zero tolerance for abuse of any kind. In recent years we have undertaken measures to ensure safeguarding and wellbeing at Dilworth are in-line with current and world-leading best practice. We take a whole-community approach to safety, with a focus on providing our students with a voice in decision making.

In September 2025, Dilworth School successfully achieved reaccreditation through the Australian Childhood Foundation's (ACF) Safeguarding Children Programme. The ACF congratulated Dilworth for complying with all seven standards of its accreditation requirements. 
 
This achievement followed a comprehensive accreditation audit. The audit report concluded that Dilworth's safeguarding culture is "highly mature," with robust systems, policies, and procedures embedded throughout the organisation. Auditors noted that protecting children's safety and supporting their wellbeing is considered the "highest priority" and "second nature" among personnel.
 
Previously, Dilworth was accredited with Child Wise, becoming the first school in Aotearoa, New Zealand to do so in 2022. 
 
At Dilworth, our approach to child safeguarding is systematic and deeply embedded in our school's culture. The safety and wellbeing of our students is our highest priority. Key strengths of our safeguarding culture, as identified in our recent Australian Childhood Foundation accreditation audit, include:
•    A Systematic, Child-Focused Approach
•    Significant Investment in Safeguarding
•    Strong Consultation and Partnership
•    Safeguarding Embedded in Daily Practice

Healing Historical Harm

The Dilworth Trust Board is committed to fully confronting the issue of historical sexual and other abuse openly and honestly.

The Board unreservedly apologises to all former students who suffered abuse when they were at Dilworth, and acknowledges that the School’s past procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse were inadequate and did not meet the standards in place today.

Dilworth Redress Programme
While redress cannot undo the harm done to former students who suffered abuse, the Board is committed to supporting them through an independent Redress Programme. The Programme is designed to support former students who suffered abuse through various forms of redress including financial awards, access to funded counselling and therapy, an apology, and other forms of personalised redress. Financial redress is available to any Dilworth former student who suffered sexual or serious physical abuse committed by a Dilworth representative, as well as those who suffered sexual abuse committed by another student while at Dilworth. Families of former students who were abused who have died can also make an application for redress. Find out more on the Dilworth Redress website.

Dilworth Independent Inquiry
Separately, the Board commissioned an Independent Inquiry to establish an understanding of the causes, nature and extent of the abuse experienced by former students at Dilworth School. The Independent Inquiry report is due to be published in the second half of 2023. Find out more on the Dilworth Independent Inquiry website.

Confidential Listening Service
Completely independent of Dilworth, a confidential Listening Service is available to any former student who suffered abuse while at the School. There is also access to fully funded counselling or psychological therapy and support. For more information, email assist@dobsupport.com.

Read more about the Dilworth Trust Board’s response to historical abuse at www.dilworthresponse.org.nz.