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 that work with and support 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.

Here’s how we do this.

  • We monitor compliance with the Oranga Tamariki Act and associated standards and regulations, including the National Care Standards Regulations and Residential Care Regulations.
  • We monitor the performance of the oranga tamariki system using an outcomes approach for tamariki and rangatahi who are in care or custody, at risk of coming into care, or transitioning out of care to live independently.
  • We look at the quality of practice, and identify areas for improvement, across the wider oranga tamariki system under the Oversight of the Oranga Tamariki System Act.

The stories and lived experiences of tamariki and rangatahi, their whānau, caregivers and their community are at the centre of our monitoring approach. We also consider data and information we receive from monitored agencies.

How we do this

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

We listen to the stories of tamariki and rangatahi and their whānau and caregivers who have received or are getting services or support through the oranga tamariki system.

We listen to the people who support them in their communities. This includes iwi
TribeView the full glossary and Māori social service providers and non-government organisations.

We also engage with kaimahi of the agencies with custody of tamariki and rangatahi:

  • Oranga Tamariki
  • Open Home Foundation
  • Barnardos
  • Kōkiri Marae

And with kaimahi from other government agencies such as:

  • NZ Police
  • Te Whatu Ora | Health NZ and other health services
  • Ministry of Education and schools and other education services

The experiences of these kaimahi help us understand what parts of the oranga tamariki system are working well, and what isn't going so well.

We are independent. Our systems ensure all the information we collect is kept secure.

Before we visit

Whakawhanaungatanga (building relationships) is important to us. We’ll reach out and connect with you before we visit. This is a good time to let us know about anything we should prepare for, such as a mihi whakatau and the 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.

We will tell you more about our monitoring approach and answer any questions that you may have.

Before we visit, we will confirm the date and time we are meeting and organise anything else needed. You can also ask any further questions.

We want to hear your experience

Our questions will help us understand from you what strengthens good practice, and what might get in the way of providing the best support for tamariki and rangatahi. 

In general, We will ask about:

  • 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
  • how your agency collaborates across government and with others in your community.

We’re now taking a deeper look to drive change in key focus areas

From 2023 to 2026 our monitoring gave us a solid understanding of how things are working right across the oranga tamariki system. We completed our 3-year monitoring cycle, covering every region in Aotearoa
New ZealandView the full glossary. Each year, we heard from around 1,200 tamariki, rangatahi, whānau, caregivers and professionals who support them. 

We are now taking a deeper look into a narrower range of topics. We call these our focus areas.

The focus areas are specific parts of the system that reflect some of what we found in our nationwide reports over the past 3 years. We aim to develop a deeper understanding of underlying enablers and barriers. 

This approach will enable us to provide greater insights into what works and why. These insights will shape decision-making at all levels of the system, from frontline through to national office and Government. We hope this will lead to greater change, and improved outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau. 

We’ll tell you about our key focus areas for our visit when we first connect with you.

How we’ll kōrero
Conversation or discussionView the full glossary with you

We’ll talk with you about our focus areas before we meet. Our kōrero will be in groups. We will work with your team to decide how best to put different roles together. We will take notes.

Our visits will take between an hour, and a half-day. It depends on the nature of our visit and how many people we hear from. 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  summary of what we heard. We call these documents a share back and they are an important part of our mahi
WorkView the full glossary.

We prepare share backs for:

  • tamariki and rangatahi (if we have more than 10 voices – to ensure information is not identifiable). If we have a large group of rangatahi with experience of youth justice, we provide a separate share back for them
  • whānau (if we have more than 10 voices to ensure information is not identifiable)
  • caregivers, including whānau caregivers (if we have more than 10 voices to ensure information is not identifiable)
  • the community. This is for all professionals we met with in the region
  • group homes or residences, if they were part of our monitoring engagements
  • Oranga Tamariki or NZ Police if we heard from their kaimahi about things internal to their organisation (such as training needs, culture or leadership).

For tamariki, rangatahi, whānau and caregivers, the share back signifies the end of our engagement. For professionals, our visit concludes with a share back hui
Meeting, gatheringView the full glossary where you will have an opportunity to discuss what we heard and ask any questions. We hope these share backs support local action.

The information we gather from each community informs our nationwide reports. These reports are provided to Ministers – including the Minister for Children, presented to 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. They help us to report on what is needed so tamariki and rangatahi in care can be safe, supported and thriving.

We will work to make it easy for you to share your views and experiences with us.

All the knowledge and information you share will be de-personalised and confidential. No one will know who said what.

The only time we will disclose information is if there is concern that a person is at risk of harm to themselves or others.  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
  • 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. Together we can drive the changes needed so tamariki and rangatahi in the oranga tamariki system can live their best lives.