The partnership between Oranga Tamariki and Mokopuna Ora has led to stronger relationships and better outcomes for , and due to the support and advocacy Mokopuna Ora provide.
Summary of our visit to Waikato
We met with 312 people in the Waikato area in August 2025. Read the summary of our findings by downloading the PDF or reading the content below.
116,600 |
and in the region* |
|
6,230 |
have had a report of concern about their safety or wellbeing | |
2,570 |
are receiving some form of intervention from Oranga Tamariki (as the outcome of a report of concern was a further action required) | |
790 |
had their offending addressed by Police | |
515 |
are in custody and care | |
450 |
are in care and protection | |
65 |
are in youth justice custody | |
* Total population from Stats NZ 2023 Estimated Resident Population at 30 Jun 2023, ages 0–18. All other data provided by Oranga Tamariki and NZ Police for July 2024 – June 2025.
Oranga Tamariki site capacity is driving decision-making, resulting in a high threshold for action on reports of concern. Te Haumirimiri Ngākau Mokopuna report of concern table is working with to provide early support, however its long waiting list and the process for referrals back to Oranga Tamariki is putting the safety of and at further risk.
There is a shortage of services in the region, particularly for specialised support. and – especially those with disabilities or living in rural areas – have long waits to get the support they need. Financial approval processes at Oranga Tamariki, cuts to community funding and contracts, and the large size of the region make this worse.
There are long waits and high thresholds for education support, risking and disengaging from learning. Limited schooling options and the reluctance from some schools to enrol some tamariki and rangatahi are preventing access to education.
Cross-agency can improve collaboration and support for , and . However, poor engagement from some government agencies, limited information sharing, and gaps in referrals, plans and assessments get in the way of providing timely support.
Police officer
“At what point will Oranga Tamariki come in? We have children out there suffering the worst things you can imagine and seeing the worst things, then Oranga Tamariki says it’s not my problem.”
Whānau
“He [Mokopuna Ora kaimahi] reminds me that I’m doing a good job … reminding me I have come a long way.”
Caregiver
“We think he’s got ADHD [Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder] but waiting to be assessed … it’s been a year in the making. I actually called health people [again] yesterday and am waiting to hear back.”
Remand home rangatahi
“When I’m not in school I am missing learning opportunities to learn, I might not be able to remember even 1 plus 1 by staying in this place too long. I’ll forget to spell words if I’m in this place too long. I want to pass my level 1s [NCEA] so I can get some credits, so I can get a job.”
These statistics1 compare outcomes for and who are at risk of being involved, are currently or were previously involved with care and protection and/or youth justice, with other tamariki and rangatahi in the region2. This group are considered part of the Oranga Tamariki System Action Plan priority population (OTSAP).
| OTSAP Regional | OTSAP National | Rest of Region | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency department admission in the last year3 | 18% | 19% | 11% |
| Potentially avoidable hospitalisation in the last year3 | 3% | 3% | 2% |
| Truancy days in the last year4 | 10% | 9% | 1% |
| Two or more school changes over the last year5 | 1% | 0.8% | 0.3% |
| NCEA Level 2 or higher5 | 60% | 62% | 86% |
1 These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) which is carefully managed by Stats NZ. For more information about the IDI please visit https://www.stats.govt.nz/integrated-data/. Statistics are taken from the most recent (June 2022) dataset.
2 Excludes those who had early risk factors in the past
3 0–17 year olds
4 5–17 year olds
5 18–20 year olds. OTSAP includes those who had early risk factors in the past and over 18-years-old who were previously known to Oranga Tamariki but not in care.
| 57% | of reports of concern resulted in a no further action decision from Oranga Tamariki. The national average is 44%. |
| 64% | of and in care and protection had a visit from their social worker as it was set out in their assessment or plan, or at least once every eight weeks over the 12-month review period. The national rate is 61%. |
| 19% | of rangatahi who were arrested by Police were bailed to the district or youth court. The national average is almost three times higher (53%). |
| 11% | of Police proceedings against rangatahi who have offended resulted in 'no further action'. The national average is 8%. |