Experiences of Care in Aotearoa - 2024/25 - Illustrated Summary
This illustrated summary has been created in an easy read format to summarize the Experiences of Care in 2024/25 report. It is available to download in PDF format or read it below.
Illustrated summary
The National Care Standards Regulations are the rules that make sure tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people) in care have what they need. We check that organisations looking after tamariki and rangatahi are following these rules.
To find out what it’s like in care, we listened to around 170 tamariki and rangatahi. We also listened to more than 1,000 other people who support and care for them including whānau, caregivers, social workers, teachers, doctors, nurses and youth workers.
We also gathered data from the organisations that have custody of tamariki and rangatahi about how they are following the rules.
We then wrote a report and gave it to the Government. We also put the report on our website so everyone can read it. This is a summary of what we found. It is about Oranga Tamariki because it has custody of 99 percent of tamariki and rangatahi in care.
Social workers still don’t always have what they need to support tamariki and rangatahi the way the rules say they should.
It would help if other government agencies like Education and Health put tamariki and rangatahi in care at the top of the list. This includes help to learn at school and to get mental health support.
One in 10 tamariki and rangatahi in care are not enrolled in school. Even though they should be.
Some things have improved, such as helping tamariki and rangatahi stay in touch with whānau.
But other things haven’t changed. Tamariki and rangatahi continue to have lots of different social workers during their time in care. And social workers are still not able to see tamariki and rangatahi as often as they should.
Tamariki and rangatahi continue to change caregivers. The most common reason is because the caregiver can’t look after them anymore, or doesn’t want to.
The rules about planning and support for and who move between care placements are still not being followed often enough.
More tamariki and rangatahi were abused in care. Lots of this happens in residences or when they are returned home to live with their parent.
Most rangatahi getting ready to leave care at 18 don’t have someone checking that they have all of the things they need to cope on their own and making sure they have a plan. But more rangatahi are being offered help from transition support services.
Oranga Tamariki has developed a National Care Standards Action Plan to help it follow the rules. But it also has lots of other work to do.
Other people, such as and Māori social services, and community organisations could be asked to do more to care for and . But they will need support and resources from Oranga Tamariki.
“If you have worries, they [social workers] support you. I remember the first night I came to this house, I was scared shitless and that lady on the wall [photo of kaimahi] sat with me for three hours and read me a book until I fell asleep …”
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“I never heard from [social worker]. I rung her and she never rings you back or answers … I don’t know why she was never there when I needed her.”
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“I do know my rights, cos of the people around me, they surround me, and they help me.”
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“It sucks, basically – I really want to go back to school.”
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“I want to be the first kid in my family to graduate. I’m Year 11 but got put up to Year 12, which I’m proud of … I want to finish school, save money and get [University Entrance] to study a Bachelor of Laws.”
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“[I] ask the staff to speak to my nan. I get to speak to her as much as I want to.”
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