Monitoring

Me aro turuki

Where we monitor

Our power to monitor places of detention comes from the Crimes of Torture Act 1989.

Under this law, Mana Mokopuna – Children's Commissioner is a National Preventive Mechanism. This means it's our job to check whether places where mokopuna are detained are treating them with dignity and respect.

Our monitoring is guided by an international agreement called the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, or OPCAT for short. OPCAT sets standards for how people should be treated while in detention.

Ngā wāhi haumaru ka aro turukihia

Secure locations we monitor

We have a legal responsibility to examine how mokopuna are treated while in detention. We monitor:

  • Five youth justice residences
  • Four care and protection residences
  • One special-purpose facility run by Barnardos
  • Eleven youth justice community remand homes
  • Five youth mental health facilities (three inpatient youth facilities and two youth forensic mental health units).

We also work with the Office of the Ombudsman to monitor the three Mothers with Babies Units (MBUs) within women’s prisons managed by Ara Poutama Aotearoa – Department of Corrections. We carry out this work jointly with the Chief Ombudsman, who is responsible for OPCAT monitoring in women's prisons.

Concerned about a child or want to make a complaint? Visit our Help and Advice page.

Get help and advice

Ngā pūrongo aro turuki tūmatanui

Our public monitoring reports

After each monitoring visit, we publish a report sharing what we found, areas of good practice, and where improvements are needed for mokopuna.

Read our reports