How tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whānau move through the oranga tamariki system

A report of concern or a police referral for a youth justice FGC can be the first time that tamarikiClosetamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary, rangatahiCloserangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary and whānauClosewhānau
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 come to the attention of the state. The right response can mean that tamariki and rangatahi are kept safe and prevent further involvement.

A report of concern can be made by any person who believes that tamariki and rangatahi have been or are likely to be harmed or abused or who has concerns about the wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi.⁹⁵

Oranga Tamariki social workers determine the response, and the decisions about whether an assessment or investigation is required must be managed appropriately and professionally. As outlined in our 2024 report Towards a stronger safety net to prevent abuse of children,⁹⁶ the decision to progress to an assessment or investigation can be unduly influenced by Oranga Tamariki resourcing rather than solely the safety and wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi.

For this part of the report, we focus on early intervention for care and protection as well as FGCs and youth justice intervention.