Our big questions explained

Historically, the youth justice and care and protection systems have had a disproportionately harmful impact on tamarikiClosetamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary Māori and whānauClosewhānau
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. The Oranga Tamariki Ministerial Advisory Board recommended that "In order to lead prevention of harm to tamariki and their whānau, collective Māori and community responsibility and authority must be strengthened and restored". To strengthen insight on how well agencies are doing this, we monitor how iwiCloseiwi
TribeView the full glossary and Māori organisations are resourced to provide the
right supports at the right time.

Is there support for equal life outcomes and opportunities for disabled tamarikiClosetamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary?

This means how agency staff work to take the least intrusive pathway possible to prevent tamarikiClosetamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary and rangatahiCloserangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary escalating to more serious interventions. This includes supports to prevent tamariki entering care, avoiding arrests, and pursuing alternative actions, school exclusions, and supplying resources for health concerns.

Enhancing wellbeing and safety means that tamarikiClosetamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary and rangatahiCloserangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary are kept physically and emotionally safe from harm, their health and happiness is prioritised, and they and are nurtured and cared for.

Do they understand, and are they given opportunities to contribute to, decisions that affect them across all phases of intervention, and across all decision processes.

In this context tino rangatiratanga means self-determination, independence, and autonomy. We need to understand how whanau are supported to have control over their own lives and be empowered to make decisions that are best for them.

These section 7AA principles (Oranga Tamariki Act) are interconnected and are the foundations for establishing whānauClosewhānau
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 or family connections for tamarikiClosetamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary. Decisions made by agencies must support tamariki Māori to set up connections and be seen within the context of their whānau, hapu and iwiCloseiwi
TribeView the full glossary.

This helps us understand if agencies collaborate and work together to improve outcomes for tamarikiClosetamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary. This includes information sharing.

Coercive powers mean powers under the Oranga Tamariki Act that can be exercised without the consent of the individual concerned, and how people are treated when there is statutory power to do certain things, for example investigate or assess suspected harm against tamarikiClosetamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary. These powers include how whānauClosewhānau
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 are initially engaged with, how tamariki are taken into care, arrests, excluding tamariki from school, or coercive practices in health care, such as mental health care. We want to know that staff are using these powers appropriately and consistently.

The youth justice system is meant to work with tamarikiClosetamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary and rangatahiCloserangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary to provide opportunities to alternate pathways in life, as well as hold them to account and consider the victim.

We want to know what helps rangatahiCloserangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary achieve successful life outcomes and function well daily. We also need to understand what helps tamarikiClosetamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary return home or end their care journey successfully and remain safe and out of the system.