“I feel I’m going to be successful for myself. It’s a feeling I’ve got. When I leave school, I’ll become a waiter, save money, travel the world, make some more money and then start a business. To become a businesswoman, be a rich mum. I feel like my dreams will come true even if takes a while.”
Outcome indicators for tamariki and rangatahi Māori in the oranga tamariki system
There are many factors that contribute to and involvement in the oranga tamariki system. Outcomes are not necessarily caused by involvement in the oranga tamariki system, and it is not the intention to attribute outcomes to any one factor or the actions of any one agency.
However, when the state does become involved, it has an obligation to improve the lives of tamariki, rangatahi and their while they are involved in the system.
Investing early in tamariki and rangatahi Māori with the services and supports that work best for them can reduce future costs but most importantly lead to better outcomes and lives.
This section of the report includes data and analysis about suicide and mortality that may be challenging for some readers. A support page is included in Appendix Four.
To understand how life is going for and Māori who are or have been involved in the oranga tamariki system, we first looked at things from their own perspective.
In some of our engagements, we heard from tamariki and rangatahi Māori about their aspirations for the future. Regardless of what part of the oranga tamariki system they were involved in, the majority of these tamariki and rangatahi Māori were positive about their futures.
“I would be happy to actually start my clothing brand in the future, like a side hustle.”
“A technician cos I’m great with technology, just doing whatever people need. I would probably help rather than just delete everything they have.”
“Go to uni. Get a scholarship there and then start a business. Maybe entrepreneurship. Scholarship [at tertiary institute] – business management and then tourism.”
“I want to be a tattoo artist.”
“I want to do youth work and level 4 construction, but I want to work as a youth worker. I know what it is like to be in it [the oranga tamariki system]. I could show [rangatahi] someone with life experience. Even when you do something, you can give back and do something about it.”
“It’s going good. I am getting a mechanics hardtech medal soon, in a couple terms. I am in [name] class at the moment as well, which is sports studies. It’s already going good for me.”
“I wanna go in the army.”
“Be a professional basketball player.”
“My Papa, he told me to be a mechanic before he passed away and he taught me how to fix cars. I listened to his words about doing good things for other good people. My Dad’s words were ‘son make me proud’, which pushed me to want to do good things and change my life.”
“My parents are supporting me well. I should be getting NCEA endorsement next year for uni. I’m Ngāi Tahu so could go through there.”
Responses to the What About Me? survey from and Māori who have been involved with Oranga Tamariki24 give a sense of hope and aspiration for their futures but are less positive than those with no involvement. Tamariki and rangatahi Māori involved with Oranga Tamariki who self-identified as disabled25 are less hopeful than their nondisabled peers.
The following graphs compare responses to specific What About Me? survey questions about feeling loved, safe, connected, and having a sense of identity.26
| Tamariki and rangatahi Māori | No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Oranga Tamariki involvement |
|---|---|---|
| I feel hopeful about my future (0 = not at all, 10 = very) |
7.5 | 6.6 |
| I know my whakapapa (0 = disagree, 10 = agree) |
7.4 | 7.3 |
| I am proud of who I am (0 = not at all, 10 = very) |
7.2 | 6.2 |
| My family and love me (0 = disagree, 10 = agree) |
8.8 | 8.1 |
| I feel safe where I usually live (0 = disagree, 10 = agree) |
8.8 | 8.0 |
| I feel safe in the community where I live (0 = disagree, 10 = agree) |
7.8 | 7.1 |
| I have friends I can trust (0 = disagree, 10 = agree) |
8.2 | 7.6 |
| Tamariki and rangatahi Māori | Oranga Tamariki involvement with self-identified disability | Oranga Tamariki involvement with no self-identified disability |
|---|---|---|
| I feel hopeful about my future (0 = not at all, 10 = very) |
5.9 | 7.0 |
| I know my whakapapa (0 = disagree, 10 = agree) |
7.2 | 7.3 |
| I am proud of who I am (0 = not at all, 10 = very) |
5.4 | 6.8 |
| My family and whānau love me (0 = disagree, 10 = agree) |
7.6 | 8.4 |
| I feel safe where I usually live (0 = disagree, 10 = agree) |
7.4 | 8.3 |
| I feel safe in the community where I live (0 = disagree, 10 = agree) |
6.5 | 7.6 |
| I have friends I can trust (0 = disagree, 10 = agree) |
7.1 | 8.0 |
To help understand how life is going for and Māori involved in the oranga tamariki system we looked at a range of outcome indicators, including having a recognised disability.27 The indicators below are for tamariki and rangatahi Māori aged 0–17 (except where otherwise stated) who were involved in the oranga tamariki system during 2022. For the groupings below, a care and protection intervention is anything from a report of concern through to services and support provided via an FGC plan, and a youth justice intervention is anything from a referral to NZ Police through to services and support provided via a youth justice FGC. For comparison, we also looked at those who were not involved. These include outcome indicators for health, wider wellbeing and education.
Health indicators
Some health indicators are better for those in state care than those with lower levels of Oranga Tamariki involvement. This may suggest that being in care is a protective factor against negative health outcomes – for example, tamariki and rangatahi Māori in care were more likely to visit a general practitioner (GP) and less likely to use an emergency department within the year.
| Emergency department presentation between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022 | |
|---|---|
| No Oranga Tamariki involvement | 15% |
| Care and protection intervention | 22% |
| Care and protection custody | 17% |
| Youth justice intervention | 32% |
| Youth justice custody | 34% |
| No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection and/or youth justice intervention | Care or custody | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disability indicated | Disability not indicated | Disability indicated | Disability not indicated | Disability indicated | Disability not indicated | |
|
Emergency department presentation between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022 (age 0-17) |
16% |
15% |
25% |
22% |
24% |
17% |
|
Potentially avoidable hospitalisation29 in 2022 (aged 0-14) |
8% |
5% |
10% |
6% |
7% |
5% |
| No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection intervention | Care and protection custody | Youth justice intervention | Youth justice custody | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
GP visit in 2022 |
74% |
69% |
71% |
66% |
57% |
Māori in care visited a GP at a similar rate to Māori with no involvement in the oranga tamariki system in 2022, which may suggest that being in care is helping them to have their health needs met through the primary healthcare system and specialist care.31 Rangatahi Māori in youth justice custody were much less likely to have visited a GP in 2022.32
A further insight to this is that the What About Me? survey found 38 percent of rangatahi Māori who had been involved with Oranga Tamariki said they had not been able to see a doctor or nurse when they wanted or needed to. This was almost twice as many as those who had no Oranga Tamariki involvement (21 percent).33
| No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection intervention | Care and protection custody | Youth justice intervention | Youth justice custody | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mental health and addiction service use in 2022 |
4% |
13% |
19% |
22% |
60% |
Usage of public secondary mental health and addiction services34 in 2022 was particularly high for those rangatahi Māori in youth justice custody at 60 percent. Almost one in five of those in care used secondary public mental health and addiction services in 2022.
What this data does not tell us is whether all those who needed mental health support were able to get it.35
| No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection and/or youth justice intervention | Care or custody | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disability indicated | Disability not indicated | Disability indicated | Disability not indicated | Disability indicated | Disability not indicated | |
|
Mental health and addiction service use in 2022 |
5% |
1% |
13% |
4% |
21% |
11% |
Disabled Māori in care or custody used secondary public mental health and addiction services38 at the highest rates in 2022. The difference between those with and without a recognised disability was greater for those with no involvement in the oranga tamariki system.
Māori aged 15–17 in the oranga tamariki system had more than seven times the rate of self-harm hospitalisation than those with no involvement
| No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection and/or youth justice intervention | Care or custody | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Self-harm hospitalisation in 2022 |
less than 1% |
3% |
3% |
Wider wellbeing indicators – victimisation
| No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection intervention | Care and protection custody | Youth justice intervention | Youth justice custody | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victim of reported crime |
4% |
24% |
38% |
44% |
63% |
| No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection and/or youth justice intervention | Care or custody | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disability indicated | Disability not indicated | Disability indicated | Disability not indicated | Disability indicated | Disability not indicated | |
|
Victim of reported crime |
8% |
4% |
33% |
23% |
53% |
37% |
Education indicators
Regular school attendance42 is linked with higher levels of educational achievement and better long-term health outcomes, job stability and participation in the community.43
Tamariki Māori in care or custody regularly attended primary or intermediate school at a higher rate than those with no involvement in the oranga tamariki system
| No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and Protection and/or Youth Justice Intervention | Care or Custody | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Regular attendance (90% attendance or higher) |
34% |
23% |
42% |
|
Irregular absence (80-89%) |
27% |
22% |
26% |
|
Moderate absence (70-79%) |
17% |
18% |
15% |
|
Chronic absence (less than 70%) |
22% |
37% |
18% |
Tamariki Māori with lower levels of oranga tamariki system involvement had the lowest rates of primary and intermediate school attendance in 2022.
Rangatahi Māori in care regularly attended secondary school at a similar rate than those with no involvement in the oranga tamariki system, but attendance of those receiving youth justice intervention was significantly lower
| No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection intervention | Care and protection custody | Youth justice intervention | Youth justice custody | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Regular attendance (90% attendance or higher) |
33% |
18% |
29% |
9% |
16% |
|
Irregular absence (80% - 89%) |
25% |
19% |
23% |
11% |
18% |
|
Moderate absence (70% - 79%) |
16% |
17% |
14% |
13% |
14% |
|
Chronic absence (less than 70%) |
26% |
46% |
34% |
69% |
52% |
Rangatahi Māori in youth justice custody or intervention had the lowest levels of secondary school attendance in 2022. Those in youth justice custody had better attendance than those who remained in the community (youth justice intervention). Rangatahi Māori in youth justice intervention only attended school at about a third of the rate of those with no Oranga Tamariki involvement and were also chronically absent at more than twice the rate.
Overall, we found that disabled Māori aged 0–17 had similar attendance levels to those who are not disabled.
| No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection and/or youth justice intervention | Care or custody | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
NZQCF level 2+ attained |
83% |
61% |
46% |
Overall, these education outcome indicators suggest that care or custody may support regular school attendance for tamariki and rangatahi Māori, although the effect is less for regular attendance at secondary school. However regular attendance rates do not translate into higher educational achievement.45 To achieve better outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori in the oranga tamariki system, a greater focus is needed on delivering targeted support to achieve their potential in the right educational setting for them.
To understand long-term outcomes, we looked at a range of indicators for Māori adults, including those with a recognised disability,46 who were aged 27–30 (except where indicated otherwise) in 2022. This group had no or some level of involvement in the oranga tamariki system47 when they were children themselves (aged 0–18). The outcome indicators in this section include for health, wider wellbeing, education and mortality.
For almost every outcome indicator, we found the higher the level of involvement they had with the oranga tamariki system as children, the worse their outcomes at age 27–30.
Māori aged 27–30 who had been in care or custody as children have no qualification at a rate almost three times higher than Māori with no oranga tamariki system involvement
|
|
No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection and/or youth justice intervention | Care or custody |
|---|---|---|---|
| No qualification48 |
5% |
10% |
14% |
|
Secondary (levels 1 - 3) |
39% |
54% |
60% |
|
Tertiary (levels 4 - 6) |
34% |
30% |
23% |
|
University (levels 7 - 10) |
22% |
6% |
3% |
Māori who were in care or custody achieved a university or other tertiary qualification at a rate much lower than those with no involvement in the oranga tamariki system.
Māori aged 27–30 who had been in care or custody as children were in employment at almost half the rate as Māori with no oranga tamariki system involvement
|
|
No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection and/or youth justice intervention | Care or custody |
|---|---|---|---|
|
In employment in 2022 |
69% |
53% |
38% |
|
Supported by main benefit in 2022 |
13% |
28% |
34% |
Māori aged 27–30 who had been in care or custody as children have spent some time in emergency housing as adults at a rate nine times higher than Māori with no involvement in the oranga tamariki system
|
|
No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection and/or youth justice intervention | Care or custody |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Emergency housing spell within adult life |
3% |
14% |
27% |
The more involvement of Māori aged 27–30 in the oranga tamariki system as children, the less likely they are to hold a driver licence
|
|
No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection intervention | Care and protection custody | Youth justice intervention | Youth justice custody |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Has driver licence |
73% |
56% |
39% |
47% |
29% |
Since 2019, the National Care Standards Regulations have required that are supported into adulthood, which includes support to obtain a driver licence. Our latest Experiences of Care in 49 report shows this is an area that still needs attention. Driver licences can open doors to employment and education opportunities and help prevent driving-related offences that introduce rangatahi to the justice system.
Māori aged 27–30 who had been in care or custody as children are more likely to turn up at an emergency department, use secondary public mental health and addiction services or be hospitalised for self-harm
|
|
No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection and/or youth justice intervention | Care or custody |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Emergency department presentation between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022 |
16% |
23% |
31% |
|
Public mental health and addiction service use in 2022 |
3% |
8% |
16% |
|
Self-harm hospitalisation in 2022 |
0.2% |
0.4% |
1.2% |
Māori aged 27–30 years who had been in care or custody as children were twice as likely to have used an emergency department50 as Māori with no involvement in the oranga tamariki system. They were also hospitalised for self-harm at a rate six times higher and used secondary public mental health and addiction services at a rate five times higher than Māori with no involvement in the oranga tamariki system.
Intergenerational involvement in the oranga tamariki system is high
Māori parents aged 27-30
|
|
No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection and/or youth justice intervention | Care or custody |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Children have any interaction with |
21% |
47% |
68% |
|
Children in care |
<1% |
3% |
12% |
Where Māori aged 27–30 had been involved in the oranga tamariki system as children and become parents themselves, half of the time, their have no involvement in the oranga tamariki system.
However, for Māori who had been in care as children, the proportion of their children having involvement in the oranga tamariki system is high at 68 percent (compared to 21 percent for Māori parents with no involvement in the oranga tamariki system). One in eight Māori aged 27–30 who had been involved in the oranga tamariki system as children and are now a parent have had one or more children placed in care at some point in their lives. These rates are similar fornon-Māori aged 27–30 who had been involved in the oranga tamariki system.
Further, as shown below, Oranga Tamariki is more likely to have custody of children of disabled Māori parents who were in care or custody as children than children of non-disabled Māori parents who were in care or custody.
|
|
Māori parents with disability | Māori parents with no disability | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection and/or youth justice intervention | Care or custody | No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection and/or youth justice intervention | Care or custody |
|
Children have been in care or custody |
less than 1% |
4% |
15% |
less than 1% |
3% |
11% |
This higher level of involvement in the oranga tamariki system for disabled Māori parents suggests more research needs to be done to understand the supports provided by the wider system. This includes understanding any bias regarding bringing tamariki of disabled parents in to care. There is also an opportunity to provide more health and education support to disabled rangatahi Māori when in care and during their transition to adulthood.
Māori aged 27–30 who were involved in youth justice have much higher rates of prison or home detention
|
|
No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection intervention | Care and protection custody | Youth justice intervention | Youth justice custody |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
In prison or home detention since turning 18 years old |
3% |
8% |
27% |
35% |
76% |
By age 27–30, most Māori who had been involved in the oranga tamariki system do not end up in prison or under home detention. However, the system is not keeping those who have been in youth justice custody out of the adult criminal justice system. Three-quarters of Māori aged 27–30 who had previously been in youth justice custody had spent time in prison or on home detention since turning 18.
The likelihood of Māori having contact with the adult criminal justice system increases for those who have been in the oranga tamariki system, including those who came in to care for care and protection reasons. This is the same for non-Māori, although the proportion of Māori who have been in prison or under home detention is higher.
Māori aged 27-30 who had been in care or custody as children have been a victim of reported crime at nearly twice the rate as Māori with no involvement in the oranga tamariki system
|
|
No Oranga Tamariki involvement | Care and protection intervention and/or youth justice intervention | Care and protection custody |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Victim of reported crime as adult |
3% |
8% |
27% |
Caution: The next two pages include information about people who have passed away in recent years, including some causes of death – including suicide. Please carefully consider your needs when reading the following information about suicide. If this material raises concerns for you, free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor, or see other ways you can seek help in Appendix Four of this report.
The information included here places an emphasis on data, and as such, can appear to depersonalise the pain and loss behind the statistics. We acknowledge the individuals, families and communities affected by suicide each year in Aotearoa.
Māori aged 27–30 involved in the oranga tamariki system as children have higher mortality rates than those with no involvement
This report looks at outcomes for Māori involved in the oranga tamariki system. It is important to acknowledge that not all are still alive at age 30, and opportunities to support them have been missed. We heard from our Māori Advisory Group Te and others that this should not be forgotten.
For mortality rates, we looked at the people born in the four years from 1992 to 1995. This time period was selected based on data availability and usability. Around 98 percent of Māori born from 1992 to 1995 and involved in the oranga tamariki system as children are still alive. For the 2 percent who are not, Māori who were in the oranga tamariki system as children died at a higher rate from self-harm (including suicide) or vehicle accidents than those with no Oranga Tamariki involvement.
The number of people shown in the following graphs represents each individual who is suspected to have died by suicide or has died by vehicle accident in the group Māori aged 27-30. This number sits alongside the mortality rate. We also show this mortality rate as the number who have died from every thousand, to help readers understand differences in mortality between groups in the oranga tamariki system, and those with no Oranga Tamariki involvement. The information included places an emphasis on numbers and, as such, can appear to depersonalise the pain and loss. Each one of these people was important and deserves to be acknowledged.
A higher proportion of Māori aged 27–30 who were involved in the oranga tamariki system as children have died in vehicle accidents
| Proportion of Māori in this group who have died in vehicle accidents | Actual number of deaths in each group | |
|---|---|---|
| No Oranga Tamariki contact |
0.25% |
108 |
|
Care and protection intervention |
0.31% |
42 |
|
Youth justice intervention |
0.55% |
24 |
|
Care or custody |
0.39% |
18 |
Rates of mortality from vehicle accidents are higher for those who were involved in the oranga tamariki system. Of the 4,359 Māori adults born between 1992 and 1995 with youth justice intervention as young people, 24 had died in vehicle accidents by 2020.
Of Māori adults born between 1992 and 1995, by 2020 around:
2 in 1,000 - who had no Oranga Tamariki involvement had died in vehicle accidents
3 in 1,000 - who had a care and protection intervention had died in vehicle accidents
6 in 1,000 - who had a youth justice intervention had died in vehicle accidents
4 in 1,000 - who had been in care or custody had died in vehicle accidents
A higher proportion of Māori aged 27–30 who were involved in the oranga tamariki system as children
have died from self-harm
| Proportion of Māori in this group who have died by suicide | Actual number of deaths in each group | |
|---|---|---|
| No Oranga Tamariki contact |
0.25% |
111 |
|
Care and protection intervention |
0.44% |
72 |
|
Youth justice intervention |
0.69% |
30 |
|
Care or custody |
0.99% |
45 |
Rates of death from self-harm (including suicide) increase with greater levels of involvement in the oranga tamariki system as children. Of the 4,557 Māori adults born between 1992 and 1995 who were in care or custody as children, 45 had died from self-harm by 2020. That is 1 percent of all Māori who had been in care or custody.
Of Māori adults born between 1992 and 1995, by 2020 around:
3 in 1,000 - who had no Oranga Tamariki involvement had died from self-harm
4 in 1,000 - who had a care and protection intervention had died from self-harm
7 in 1,000 - who had a youth justice intervention had died from self-harm
10 in 1,000 - who had been in care or custody had died from self-harm
Every suicide death is a tragedy and the impacts are wide reaching and devastating for family and , friends and communities. There are multiple and complex reasons for suicide, but suicide can be prevented. We acknowledge those who have died or have been affected by suicide.
We recognise that individuals, families, and communities are impacted from each and every one of these deaths.
Further data on mortality by cause of death and further explanation about our methodology can be found in Appendix Two.
These outcomes for Māori aged 27–30 are an indication of future outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori currently in the oranga tamariki system if more is not done
These outcome indicators highlight the opportunities for government agencies to better support tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whānau at the earliest opportunity so they can achieve their aspirations for both them and their tamariki.
When the system is successful in meeting the needs of tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whānau, we will see better long-term life outcomes, a reduction in the proportion of Māori involved in the system and a break in the cycle of intergenerational involvement. At the same time, we will see tamariki and rangatahi Māori kept safe from harm and their hopes and aspirations are more likely to be realised.
In developing this first annual report on outcomes for and Māori and their , we have identified two pou.
These two pou are outcome indicators we are using to measure the performance of the oranga tamariki system. We may develop more pou and measures over time, as we gain access to more data and develop greater insight.
A reduction in intergenerational involvement in the oranga tamariki system
Baseline measures for the reduction in intergenerational involvement in the oranga tamariki system:
| % of Māori parents aged 27–30 in 2022 who were in care or custody as children and have a child known to Oranga Tamariki | 68% |
| % of Māori parents aged 27–30 in 2022 who were in care or custody as children and have a child who has been in state care or custody | 12% |
We may not see any significant shift in this pou for a number of years because of the time it takes for any changes implemented now to take effect as well as the time it will take for today’s tamariki and rangatahi to become young adults. In the meantime, we will look at other measures that indicate more immediate progress. For example, we may look at re-entry into care after leaving care and the number and proportion of tamariki and rangatahi Māori with renotifications after Oranga Tamariki has been involved following a report of concern. We will also look at progress for disabled tamariki and rangatahi Māori.
Tamariki and rangatahi Māori remain hopeful about their futures
Through our cycle of monitoring, we will continue to speak with tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whānau and caregivers. If the system is working well, we will see tamariki and rangatahi Māori kept safe from harm and realising their hopes and aspirations.
| I feel hopeful about my future | 6.6 (0 = not at all, 10 = very) |
“Just like to grow up successful and, if I find the right person, to give my kids what I couldn’t have.”
“My dream job is to be a marine biologist. Family and I have been going to the same beach for years. We go to the marae in [name of location]. We used to do some spiritual thing, don’t really know what it is, then have a hāngī. We rented a bach by the beach every Christmas. At [name of location] I fell in love with the ocean. I went to the aquariums in Wellington, Auckland ... I’ve done so much research. I’ll go to Auckland uni. Problem is credits. Next term, I have math, geography and English, then Te Kura, then Horizons for math and science for year 11 credits... [whānau] are always ’just go for it’. All my family support [the sibling group]. As siblings, we did everything together at school and supported each other.”
“[I want to be a] NBA man – if I can’t do that, I can do construction and youth work. I want to drive my dream car by 32, a 1965 Chevy. I want to get a house and start a family. Don’t want to be behind a desk at a job, want to be outdoors. That’s why youth work would be good to be with the kids and only 10% of the time behind a desk."
24 The group of What About Me? survey respondents ‘involved with Oranga Tamariki’ includes any and who answered ‘yes’ to ‘have you or anyone in your family every been involved with Child Youth and Family Services (CYFS) or Oranga Tamariki?’ This includes those who have had a social worker visit them or their family, had an FGC, or been in care.
25 As described in the full survey report, disabled tamariki and rangatahi were identified based on their responses to the Washington Group Short Set. These are questions that address six areas of functioning that, if restricted, are most often found to result in limitations in social participation. The Washington Group Short Set was recommended by Stats NZ and the Office for Disability Issues for use in the What About Me? survey, but the questions do not cover all aspects of disability. They are intended to allow analysis of wellbeing for disabled tamariki and rangatahi. The survey sample included responses from 252 Māori who self-identified as having a disability. Malatest International (2022). whataboutme.nz: Overview report – October 2022. https://www.msd.govt.nz/ documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/consultations/youth-health-and-wellbeing-survey-results/the-nationalyouth- health-and-wellbeing-survey-2021-overview-report-september-2022.pdf
26 Further survey responses and results are available in Appendix Two.
28 It is widely accepted that disability is under-diagnosed among tamariki and rangatahi involved in the oranga tamariki system. “However, it is acknowledged that research has reported vastly different estimates of disability amongst the population of tamariki and rangatahi engaged with Oranga Tamariki.” Oranga Tamariki (2023). Evidence Brief: Primary Healthcare Needs of Disabled Children in Care and Protection (p. 14). https://www.orangatamariki.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/About-us/Research/Latest-research/Primary-healthcare-needs-of-disabled-children-in-care/Evidence-Brief-Primary-care-needs-of-disabled-children-in-care.pdf
28 Indication of disability includes being in receipt of specific disability-related benefits and supports, and/or having identified as disabled in the 2018 Census or a social survey. For a full description on how disability was functionally defined for these measures, see Appendix Two.
29 Potentially avoidable hospitalisations include hospitalisations that can be potentially avoided by: the provision of appropriate healthcare interventions and early disease management, usually delivered in primary care and community-based care settings; public health interventions such as injury prevention, health promotion and immunisation; or social policy interventions such as income support and housing policy.
30 Note this only includes when tamariki and rangatahi see a doctor at their registered medical practice and not when they see a doctor as a casual patient. Enrolment with primary healthcare organisations was highest among tamariki and rangatahi in care. As discussed on page 47 of our report Experiences of Care in 2023/24, primary healthcare in secure residences is delivered under contract. Rangatahi in secure residences while in youth justice custody may have their primary healthcare needs met without visiting their own GP.
31 For example, as discussed on page 47 of our report Experiences of Care in Aotearoa 2023/24, in 2023/24 Oranga Tamariki spent $58.5 million on costs related to health, including $19.8 million for tamariki in care. However, as also noted in that report, Oranga Tamariki is not meeting the minimum standards of primary healthcare for all tamariki and rangatahi in its care and/or custody as set out in the National Care Standards Regulations.
32 Note this only includes when tamariki and rangatahi see a doctor at their registered medical practice and not when they see a doctor as a casual patient. Enrolment with primary healthcare organisations was highest among tamariki and rangatahi in care. As discussed on page 47 of our report Experiences of Care in Aotearoa 2023/24, primary healthcare in secure residences is delivered under contract. Rangatahi in secure residences while in youth justice custody may have their primary healthcare needs met without visiting their own GP.
33 This difference is statistically significant. A 95 percent confidence interval was calculated to be [0.11, 0.22].
34 Secondary mental health and addiction services include in-patient or community-based services. Examples include Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (ICAMHS), maternal and infant mental health services (including home-based supports), community-based crisis services, drug-checking services and regional eating disorder services.
35 A June 2024 snapshot from Te Hiringa Mahara |Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission reports that “young people are less likely to be able to get professional help for their mental health needs compared to other age groups” and that “children and adolescents aged 0–18 wait longer for specialist mental health services than older people”. https://www.mhwc.govt.nz/our-work/wellbeing/youth-rangatahi-wellbeing-assessment/infographic/
36 Note this measure does not include primary healthcare settings, for example GP consults, which may also be used to address mental health or addiction issues.
37 Indication of disability includes being in receipt of specific disability-related benefits and supports, and/or having identified as disabled in the 2018 Census or a social survey. For a full description on how disability was functionally defined for these measures, see Appendix Two.
38 Note this measure does not include primary healthcare settings, for example GP consults, which may also be used to address mental health or addiction issues.
39 This difference is statistically significant. A 95 percent confidence interval was calculated to be [0.15, 0.24].
40 Victim of reported crime between 2016 and 2022. Victim of recorded crime data is available in the IDI from mid-2014 onwards.
41 Victim of reported crime between 2016 and 2022.
42 In this report, in line with the definition used by the Ministry of Education, attendance is defined based on attendance during term 1 2022. Regular attendance: 90% or more attendance. Irregular absence: 80% up to 90% attendance. Moderate absence: 70% up to 80% attendance. Chronic absence: less than 70% attendance.
43 https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/strategies-policies-and-programmes/attendance-and-achievement/increasing-school-attendance
44 The New Zealand Qualification and Credentials Framework (NZQCF) includes secondary school qualifications, such as NCEA as well as qualifications from tertiary providers and universities. For many, a level 2 and above qualification means NCEA level 2 or 3 attained at secondary school. For others, it may be a certificate or diploma from another education provider.
45 As discussed on page 50 of our report Experiences of Care in Aotearoa 2023/24, tamariki and rangatahi in care are not always getting the support they need for education. This includes where there are disputes between government agencies about paying for educational support.
46 It is widely accepted that disability is under-diagnosed among tamariki and rangatahi involved in the oranga tamariki system.
47 Involved with the Department of Child Youth and Family Services.
48 Including where it could not be ascertained whether an individual holds a qualification, for example, an overseas qualification that was not declared in Census 2013 or 2018.
49 Aroturuki Tamariki (2025). Experiences of Care in Aotearoa: Agency compliance with the National Care Standards and Related Matters Regulations. Reporting period 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024. https://aroturuki.govt.nz/assets/Reports/EOCR2324/Experiences-of-Care-2023-24.pdf
50 Between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022.