Our history | Tō mātou hītori

The need for greater oversight

In 2015, an Expert Advisory Panel report on Modernising Child, Youth and Family recommended greater oversight of New Zealand’s child protection system. This was followed by a 2017 review of independent oversight arrangements for the Oranga Tamariki system and children’s issues and the 2018 post-consultation Beatie report. These reviews led to our establishment in 2019 as a business unit of the Ministry of Social Development (MSD
Ministry of Social DevelopmentView the full glossary). Our role then was to monitor compliance with the National Care Standards Regulations, which took effect in 2019.

On 1 May 2023, the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Act took effect. It widened our monitoring role to the whole of the oranga tamariki system. We left MSD and became a departmental agency.

On 1 August 2025, the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Amendment Act took effect, establishing us as an independent Crown entity governed by a board.

Our history – Documents for download

Expert Panel Final Report – Investing in New Zealand’s Children and their Families

Strengthening independent oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system

Post Consultation Report

Oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system independent review – MartinJenkins

Establishing the Monitor

In 2019, Government established the Monitor and agreed that the Ministry of Social Development would design and establish the monitoring function.

On 1 May 2023 the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Act took effect. We became an operationally independent departmental agency. As a departmental agency we were hosted by the Education Review Office (ERO). It provided us with back-office functions such as payroll, finance and IT.  

On 1 August 2025 the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Amendment Act took effect. We became an independent Crown entity governed by a board. 

Read the 2024 Cabinet papers on establishment of the Monitor as an independent Crown entity and additional changes to the oversight system (Ministry of Social Development website)

Download or Link
Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Legislation Amendment Bill: Approval for Introduction
External link

Read the 2021 Cabinet papers on arrangements for the Monitor as a departmental agency (Ministry of Social Development Website)

Download or Link
Oversight of the Oranga Tamariki System and Children and Young People’s Commission Bill
External link

Read the papers and reports that led to the establishment of the Monitor in 2019 (Ministry of Social Development Website)

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Independent oversight of the care of children
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Establishment phases

In 2019, Government agreed to a phased approach. This allowed time to progress changes to the law that supports our role. And we had time to develop and establish the monitoring function.

Our first phase of monitoring assessed NCS Regulations
(National Care Standards and Related Matters) Regulations 2018 View the full glossary 69 and 85, which relate to allegations of harm or neglect for children in care. Cabinet agreed work should begin in this area first as it covers the area of highest risk and potential harm to tamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary and rangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary. We published three reports. They covered allegations of harm and neglect made between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020. Read the Initial Monitoring Reports.  

The second phase of monitoring assessed all NCS Regulations. Our first full report, which we published in early 2022, covered the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021. Experiences of Care in Aotearoa
New ZealandView the full glossary has been published annually since 2020/21. Read our Experiences of Care reports on agency compliance with the NCS Regulations. 

In 2023 we moved into the third and final phase, monitoring the whole of the oranga tamariki system. This moved our monitoring beyond children in care, to any child who is known to Oranga Tamariki – such as through early-intervention or youth justice. In June 2025 we published our first annual system-wide report – Outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whanau in the oranga tamariki system. This report covered the year 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024. In 2027, we will publish our first 3-yearly report on the performance of the oranga tamariki system for the period 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2026. 

Along with a wider monitoring role, the oversight system was also established. Read more about how we work with our oversight partners, the Ombudsman and Mana
Prestige, authority, control, power, influence, status, spiritual power, charismaView the full glossary Mokopuna | Children and Young People’s Commission.

Our initial engagement Tūhonohono

Key to the success of our mahi
WorkView the full glossary is engaging and partnering with those who work within or experience the Oranga Tamariki system. We do this by visiting communities around Aotearoa
New ZealandView the full glossary. We strive to be inclusive and encompass the diversity of culture, identity, and ethnicity of all those experiencing the system.

Engagement with Māori

Reviews found the need for more engagement with Māori across all of the oranga tamariki system and independent oversight functions. The views and concerns of Māori are central to the way the Monitor functions.

In mid-2019, we held a series of hui
Meeting, gatheringView the full glossary around Aotearoa to inform the development of a strengthened independent oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system. We aimed to ensure it better responds to the needs of tamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary, rangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary and 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, leading to improved outcomes.

We held another 19 hui across the country from late January 2020 to mid-March 2020.. These raised awareness of how the Monitor, Office of the Children’s Commissioner and the Ombudsman would work together, once legislation was passed and what each agency’s role would be.

The hui were also a chance to formally introduce the Monitor, share mahi already completed and understand how people wanted to be engaged in the future. The hui saw 525 people, including service providers, Māori-focused organisations, government agencies and children’s professionals, come together and share their thoughts.

Feedback from hui covered both the current state of the system and where mahi was required to improve outcomes in the future. In particular, hui focused on the interactions with Oranga Tamariki, funding and support, communication, historic issues, strengthening independent oversight legislation and the Monitor’s approach. Below are the key themes that emerged from our 2019 and 2020 hui.

View the work of the graphic artist, who accompanied us for some hui.