This is the first time we have reported on Kōkiri Marae Keriana Olsen Trust (Kōkiri Marae). During 2023/24 Kōkiri Marae had fewer than six tamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary in its custody and care. It also had a number of tamariki and rangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary in its day-to-day care, for whom custody remains with Oranga Tamariki7.
This chapter focuses on the approach that Kōkiri Marae takes to compliance with the NCS Regulations
(National Care Standards and Related Matters) Regulations 2018 View the full glossary8.
Kōkiri Marae is a long-standing care partner of Oranga Tamariki, approved as a cultural social service under s396 of the Oranga Tamariki Act. It was the first Māori organisation to take on custody and care of tamariki. Kōkiri Marae took this step because it was concerned about the approach Oranga Tamariki had taken in placing a child, of preschool age, far away from 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 parents). Kōkiri Marae sought custody because it felt this would be in the best interests of the child, without being fully aware of the responsibility of taking this on.
Consequently, Kōkiri Marae was granted custody at a time when it was not fully equipped for compliance with the NCS Regulations. Despite being subject to the NCS Regulations as a shared care partner, the transition to a custody agency was challenging.
“[This] is the hardest situation that Kōkiri Marae could be put through. We are still navigating this. We had no warm-up. We are full care custody and working backwards.” KŌKIRI MARAE BOARD MEMBER
Kōkiri Marae acknowledges that it has yet to fully embed compliance with the regulations in its policies and practices, and this is an area of rapid development. It has appointed kaimahi to support and maintain compliance and continues to receive support from Oranga Tamariki to achieve this.
Oranga Tamariki completed a progress report for Kōkiri Marae in June 2024, confirming progress had been made to implement the NCS Regulations, with some standards still to be met.
While Kōkiri Marae is not in a position to confirm compliance with all the NCS Regulations, what we heard from kaimahi and the kaitiaki (whānau caregivers) was positive.
Kōkiri Marae takes a holistic, te ao Māori
The Māori worldView the full glossary approach to its care and custody. The mission of Kōkiri Marae is that all tamariki who come into care are placed within whānau, hapū
Sub-tribeView the full glossary and iwi
TribeView the full glossary.
“[Child] came into our care because mum was not able to care for [child]. Whānau were not in the circumstances where they could take [child] ... We were keen for [child] not to be lost … From [child] coming down Kōkiri Marae got involved … It’s not unusual for this to happen in our whānau. It’s history in our family.” KAITIAKI
The following summary of compliance with the NCS Regulations is taken from the information provided by Kōkiri Marae, as well as from our kōrero
Conversation or discussionView the full glossary with kaimahi and kaitiaki.
Kōkiri Marae is working through the requirements for needs assessments, plans and visits. Initially, the same assessment for shared care arrangements was being used for custodial arrangements. However, Kōkiri Marae intends to establish its own needs assessments through a 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 approach. It was also using a copy of an All About Me plan provided by Oranga Tamariki.
“… Oranga Tamariki will have given me the ‘All About Me plan’ and the ‘placement plan’ … as a Māori and from a te ao Māori lens the care plan should have everything in it … Whānau connection, health, and wairua is important. Everything has to be together so the kaitiaki is aware.” KŌKIRI MARAE CAREGIVER COORDINATOR
“For me in my role I have been focusing on the National Care Standards and being able to implement them, and to put them in policy.” KŌKIRI MARAE PROJECT MANAGER FULL CARE STATUS
Enrolment with an early childhood education provider where tamariki have access to both te ao Māori and te reo Māori has occurred. Kōkiri Marae has also provided evidence of supporting whānau connection.
“… We have a scrapbook from puna reo … [Child] is very social; [child] loves food and new experiences and other kids ... [Child] can thrive in the environment … is independent and strong minded. [Child] loves waiata, it’s full immersion te reo. [Child] loves kapa haka and thrives in this environment … All the tamariki whakapapa to the same iwi. They will often walk to the marae. The marae needs the cute factor!” KAITIAKI
Kōkiri Marae told us that meeting health needs remains a challenge because the Gateway assessment process is not available when it holds custody. Kōkiri Marae, as custodian, is now responsible for making its own arrangements to access health needs assessments. Kōkiri Marae is working with kaimahi from Oranga Tamariki to get health needs assessments in place, though this remains a work in progress.
“We are working with Oranga Tamariki to try to get them to help us with this. They [Oranga Tamariki] say you need to build relationships with these providers. This all takes time and energy … No support in setting us up as a full care custody provider. We have a good relationship with the Oranga Tamariki Quality Assurance Team. They are helping us. We have been assigned a contract manager who is really supportive and responsive.” KŌKIRI MARAE BOARD MEMBER
“We have never done this before.” KŌKIRI MARAE PROJECT MANAGER FULL CARE STATUS
Kōkiri Marae is funded by Oranga Tamariki to meet the direct needs of tamariki. However, there are costs beyond the contract such as transportation, legal fees, whakapapa searching and family group conference coordination that Kōkiri Marae must fund itself.
Kōkiri Marae told us it holds the vision that all tamariki coming into its care will leave better off. Kaitiaki said Kōkiri Marae is providing everything they need.
“I’m impressed with the way they make space for our voice in the family group conference. [Kōkiri Marae kaimahi] led this and was conscious of the professional space. She nicely coordinated this ... The meetings have improved. I would have liked to see more support initially ... The mother was supported in the background …They have definitely changed now that the parents have pulled away. Initially, it was tough …They have learnt from the input by whānau that they need to invest more in the caregivers … It’s difficult because [child] has so many people who love [child]. They love baby so much that they want their rights [having access] to [child].” KAITIAKI
Some kaitiaki also said that, while their relationship with Kōkiri Marae was strained in the beginning, it has improved over time. They now have clarity about the role each person undertakes and what is expected. The relationships now in place are providing wrap around support with an ongoing commitment to learning as the process develops. Kōkiri Marae is committed to the long-term nature of this experience and shared with us that this is something “we have always done” and will continue to do so into the future. Kaitiaki confirmed this.
“The communication is good … Kōkiri Marae is always asking if we need anything. They do an excellent job … [Project Manager Full Care Status] contacts us every week. She comes over twice a month. She reminds us of anything we need to do … It doesn’t seem hard to get in contact” KAITIAKI
Kōkiri Marae has a caregiver coordinator to support its kaitiaki. The role provides day to day support for kaitiaki, acting as a liaison between kaitiaki and social workers.This approach is designed to provide stronger support for kaitiaki.
“Our caregivers [kaitiaki] don’t have to put up with the stress. I make sure Oranga Tamariki is meeting their obligations.” KAIMAHI
Kōkiri Marae states that it provides resources to enable kaitiaki to provide appropriate care.
While kaitiaki were very positive about the support provided by Kōkiri Marae, our kōrero revealed that caregiver training appears to be an issue for further development.
“We needed support around attachment and detachment … A job description! [would be helpful] … How much do I attach emotionally? Something like this would be clearer. I said that you have to give everything to this [child]. Getting support around this would have been great.” KAITIAKI
Kōkiri Marae is developing a record (book) of whakapapa and significant life events for tamariki in its care. This includes pepeha, a whakapapa tree and stories relevant to their life. Whānau can also request copies of the book.
Part Four of the NCS Regulations also includes whether any allegations of abuse have been made during the period. No allegations have been made, nor have there been any complaints, in this reporting period.
There have not been changes in placement during the reporting period. As it does with shared care, Kōkiri Marae works hard with kaitiaki and whānau to support ongoing relationships, and to avoid care placements breaking down.
”We went to [overseas] and Kōkiri Marae supported us to go on holiday. We got to go. We pitched it to Kōkiri Marae, and they got [child] a passport. They put money in for the flights. They had the conversation with the family. They were worried that we would not bring [child] back. If we could not take [child], we would not have gone. [Child] thrived ...” KAITIAKI
Kōkiri Marae took on custody for the first time because it saw a need and believed it could provide an appropriate te ao Māori
The Māori worldView the full glossary care experience. Kōkiri Marae acknowledges that, while it is supporting wellbeing and providing appropriate care, it is not yet compliant with all the NCS Regulations
(National Care Standards and Related Matters) Regulations 2018 View the full glossary. It will continue to work towards meeting the standards and developing its self-monitoring processes.
7 Compliance with the NCS Regulations
(National Care Standards and Related Matters) Regulations 2018 View the full glossary for tamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary and rangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary in shared care is discussed in our assessment of Oranga Tamariki compliance.
8 This is in line with our approach to monitoring other agencies, such as Barnardos and Open Home Foundation, that have a mix of custody and shared care.