Monday, 29 September 2025
Chair
Victoria Marsden, Head of Student Services and Counsellor, Hobsonville Point Secondary School
*Original Content was created in June 2024
Learning Objectives:
- Understand key legislation affecting children and families in school contexts
- Gain practical strategies for working with family court orders, Oranga Tamariki, and court-appointed lawyers for children
Description
Attend and earn 1 PLD hour
* This interactive online recording includes questions and quizzes requiring critical thinking about the topics, so you have no annual limits to the number of points/hours you can claim with this format of learning. Please verify with your CPD rules
Families, Conflict, The Courts and Your School
- Knowing and understanding the relevant legislation: a snapshot
- The Care of Children Act 2004
- The Family Violence Act 2018
- The Oranga Tamariki Act 1989
- What do I do if I have concerns about a child?
- Working with the lawyer for child: those lawyers appointed by the Court to represent children
- “I’ve been asked to get involved in Court proceedings: what should I do?”
- Tips for handling tricky situations, challenging personalities, and hostile environments
Presented by Aroha Fletcher, Senior Associate, Stace Hammond and Lena Wong, Director, Complete Legal
Presenters
Victoria Marsden, Head of Student Services and Counsellor, Hobsonville Point Secondary SchoolVictoria has completed both a Masters in Counselling (2008) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Supervision (Counselling) at Waikato University (2017). Victoria is the Head of Te Ara Manaaki Student Services at Hobsonville Point Secondary School, with a counselling role. She leads a team of counsellors and the school nursing staff. Victoria is a fully accredited member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC) and adheres to the principles of the NZAC Code of Ethics. Victoria works within a restorative, narrative and social constructionist framework and has published and been a reviewer for articles submitted for publication in peer reviewed academic journals both within New Zealand and overseas. Victoria has presented at conferences and delivered numerous workshops on both disordered eating and creating safe environments for our Rainbow rangatahi in schools.
Aroha Fletcher, Senior Associate, Stace Hammond
Aroha Fletcher is a Senior Associate at Stace Hammond. Aroha specializes in Family Law, helping clients navigate and resolve disputes, particularly in high-conflict cases involving children. She is a member of Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa and the Family Law Section and has been involved in community initiatives to assist people’s access to family lawyers. Aroha currently assists various ethics committees in resolving disciplinary actions for different professional bodies. Aroha previously practiced on the North Shore and has been involved in the Royal Commission’s Inquiry into abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults in State and faith-based care in Aotearoa New Zealand between the years 1950-99.
Lena Wong, Director, Complete Legal
Lena is a Director of Complete Legal and has been practising In South Auckland for the past 9 years. Lena graduated from the University of Auckland with a Masters of Laws and Bachelor of Arts and was admitted to the bar in 2012. Lena specializes in Family Law and has a vast range of experience in COCA, Family Violence, Oranga Tamariki matters as well as PPPR, trusts, wills and estates. She is a court-appointed lawyer for child and is a member of the Family Law Section and the Pacific Lawyers Association.
