Kaimahi of organisations with obligations under the Oranga Tamariki Act

Information for kaimahi of organisations with obligations under the Oranga Tamariki Act

We check that organisations supporting and working with tamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary and rangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary, and their whānau
Whānau refers to people who are biologically linked or share whakapapa. For the Monitor’s monitoring purposes, whānau includes parents, whānau members living with tamariki at the point they have come into care View the full glossary and families, are meeting their needs, delivering services effectively, and improving outcomes.

We do this by:

  • Monitoring compliance with the Oranga Tamariki Act and associated standards and regulations, including the National Care Standards Regulations.
  • Monitoring system performance using an outcomes approach for tamariki and rangatahi who are in care, or at risk of coming into care.
  • Looking at the quality of practice, and identifying areas for improvement, across the wider oranga tamariki system under the Oversight of the Oranga Tamariki System Act.

Our mahi
WorkView the full glossary is not limited to measuring compliance by reviewing information from agencies. The stories and lived experiences of tamariki and rangatahi, their whānau, caregivers and their community are at the centre of our monitoring approach.

How we do this

Effective and meaningful monitoring requires a mix of approaches and the use of quantitative (numbers) data and qualitative (experiences) information.

We hear the stories of tamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary and rangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary who are receiving, or have previously received, services or support through the oranga tamariki system, and their whānau
Whānau refers to people who are biologically linked or share whakapapa. For the Monitor’s monitoring purposes, whānau includes parents, whānau members living with tamariki at the point they have come into care View the full glossary. Where tamariki are in care, we also speak with their caregivers.

We speak to the people who make up their communities, this includes hapū
Sub-tribeView the full glossary, iwi
TribeView the full glossary, social service providers and non-government organisations.

Information from kaimahi of Oranga Tamariki, Open Home Foundation and Barnardos (the three agencies with custody of tamariki), and other government organisations, such as Police, health and education, also helps us develop a holistic picture of the experiences of tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau.  Information from kaimahi of organisations that provide services under the Oranga Tamariki Act help us understand what parts of the system are working well, and what isn't going so well.

We operate independently and have our own systems to ensure all information collected is kept secure.

Before we visit

Whakawhanaungatanga (building relationships) is important to us. We’ll be reaching out and connecting with you before we visit. This will be an opportunity for you to let us know about anything we should prepare for, such as a mihi whakatau and the relevant local kawa
PoliciesView the full glossary (protocols) or tikanga
Correct procedure, the customary system of values and practices that have developed over time and are deeply embedded in the social context View the full glossary (processes) we need to know.

This is also an opportunity for us to provide further information about our monitoring approach and to answer any questions that you may have.

Before we visit, we will contact you to confirm the date and time we are meeting and organise any other requirements. You can also let us know if you have further questions or information.

We want to hear your experience

Our questions are focused on understanding what strengthens good practice and what might get in the way of providing the best support for tamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary and rangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary.

While the specific areas of what we talk about will depend on the group, our general focus will be on:

  • the things that help you meet the needs of tamariki and rangatahi, and the things that get in the way
  • understanding what is happening to improve outcomes for tamariki Māori and any developments in practice to meet the needs of tamariki and rangatahi in the oranga tamariki system (both the care and protection and youth justice pathways)
  • understanding and receiving information about your agency’s self-assurance processes and the results of your internal monitoring procedures
  • we are also interested in how your agency collaborates across government and with others in your community.

Our kōrero
Conversation or discussionView the full glossary will be in groups and we will work with your team to determine how best to put different roles together. We will take notes. 

Our visits will take between an hour and a full day, depending on the nature of our visit and how many people we speak with. We value your time and do our best to be flexible within the days we have in your community.

What we do with the information we gather

After we’ve visited your community, we provide a report summarising the insights we have gathered. We call these ‘sharing back’ reports and they are an important part of our mahi
WorkView the full glossary. These is just for people in your community.

We prepare up to four share back reports:

  • tamariki
    Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary     and rangatahi
    Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary     (if we have more than 10 voices to ensure information is not identifiable)
  • whānau
    Whānau refers to people who are biologically linked or share whakapapa. For the Monitor’s monitoring purposes, whānau includes parents, whānau members living with tamariki at the point they have come into care View the full glossary     and caregivers (if we have more than 10 voices to ensure information is not identifiable)
  • the community (including all non-monitored organisations we meet with)
  • monitored organsations (such as Oranga Tamariki).

We hope these reports are used to support action at a local level. We’ll also refer to the sharing back reports when we come back to your community to see what changes have been made (we visit every three years).

Information we gather from each community we visit informs our nationwide reports. These reports are provided to Ministers, including the Minister for Children, tabled in Parliament and published on our website.  Find out more about our reports.

How we keep your information safe

Your honest views and experiences are crucial to helping us ensure that tamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary and rangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary in care are safe, supported and thriving. We will work to provide an environment that makes it easy for you to share your views and experiences with us.

While the knowledge you share will inform our monitoring work and reporting, all information will be de-personalised and confidential. The only time we will disclose information is if there is concern that a person is at risk of harm to themselves or others. If this is the case, we will only disclose the minimum amount of information necessary to address the risk.

Our collection, storage and use of information is governed by the Privacy Act 2020, our information rules and the Relationship Agreements we have with the agencies we monitor. All information collected is stored securely in a database. Access is limited to a small number of our key staff.

Read our privacy statement

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou!

We look forward to spending time with you and hearing about your experiences. Collectively, we can work together to support tamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary and rangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary in the oranga tamariki system to live their best lives.

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What to expect when we visit - information for kaimahi (PDF 1.47MB)