How the system meets the needs of tamariki and rangatahi Māori

The chief executive of Oranga Tamariki has a duty to intervene early to help 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, hapūClosehapū
Sub-tribeView the full glossary and iwiCloseiwi
TribeView the full glossary prevent harm, abuse and neglect to tamarikiClosetamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary and rangatahiCloserangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary and prevent offending.⁸² Principles set out in the Oranga Tamariki Act state that those exercising powers under that Act should provide early services and supports to increase wellbeing and prevent further harm or escalation.⁸³

A report of concern is an early opportunity to address any safety, care and wellbeing needs of tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau. Not all of those who have a report of concern will need services and supports. For those who do, a report of concern is an important opportunity for Oranga Tamariki to put in place what is needed for tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau to prevent further escalation.

As we found in our report Towards a stronger safety net to prevent abuse of children,⁸⁴ the Government must prioritise the safety of tamariki by ensuring that the statutory care and protection system is resourced and equipped to respond when needed. In that report, we noted that Oranga Tamariki needs the support of a well-funded and well-resourced community sector. That sector could provide the first line of response to reports of concern that are lower risk and provide the support needed by whānau with the help of government agencies. Later in this report, we feature two initiatives that are focused on delivering early support in this way.

In our regional engagements, we heard about some of the reasons services and supports may not be provided to tamarikiClosetamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary and rangatahiCloserangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary Māori and their 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 at the earliest opportunity. We also heard about barriers to tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whānau accessing the services and support they need.

In our report Towards a stronger safety net to prevent abuse of children,¹⁰⁰ we also highlighted that a high proportion of reports of concern do not result in further action by Oranga Tamariki. This could be a missed opportunity to identify needs early and refer whānau to services and supports that could benefit tamariki and rangatahi Māori and their whānau to prevent renotification or escalation through the oranga tamariki system.

Care and protection FGCs are not always enabling services and support to be provided

FGCs are intended to enable whānau to be involved in decisions and plans for their tamariki and rangatahi. The FGC ideally produces a plan that identifies interventions, including services, that can make a difference for tamariki and rangatahi and their whānau. Gaps in Oranga Tamariki data make it difficult to measure the effectiveness of FGC plans. For example, data does not show how many FGCs result in agreed plans. It also does not show whether services that would help tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau were offered or provided.

However, the fact that over-representation increases as tamariki and rangatahi Māori move deeper into the system suggests that, overall, services and supports provided at the FGC stage are not always effective in addressing the needs underlying their entry into state care or enabling them to return home in a timely and supported way.

We continue to hear that care and protection FGCs are not being convened

In our 2023/24 Outcomes for Māori report, we found that care and protection FGCs are not always valued by Oranga Tamariki kaimahi, with some kaimahi favouring huiClosehui
Meeting, gatheringView the full glossary ā-whānau and avoiding FGCs.¹⁰¹

We heard this again in 2024/25. A small number of social workers and FGC coordinators told us that hui ā-whānau can lead to a robust plan and negate the need to go to FGC. They said FGCs can take too much time and effort to convene and are less inclusive of whānau voice. However, Oranga Tamariki kaimahi also acknowledged that services and supports identified in plans agreed in FGCs are more likely to be funded.

"There are no good options available for hui ā-whānau because there is no funding attached to it. It is not official and we still have to go to through the FGC. Because of this process, it’s a hit and miss process, while if we go straight to FGC, we can create a robust plan, and we could get funding for it. If we knew that [hui ā-whānau] will still gonna happen that way, we could have gone straight to the FGC.” ORANGA TAMARIKI SITE LEADER

Kaimahi from Oranga Tamariki and from other organisations spoke about FGCs as the doorway to services, such as the Gateway health and education assessment.

"If you are lucky or fortunate enough to get an FGC, you have the ability to receive a myriad of assessments like the Gateway … If you are a child attached to [Oranga Tamariki] and get an FGC then it makes it far quicker to get assessments done and receive the intervention help you need. If there is not an FGC then it can be much more difficult to get the assessments done, which then means you are likely to miss out.” HEALTH LEADER

A small number of Oranga Tamariki kaimahi told us that cases are sometimes closed too early, without an FGC being convened. This results in lost access to assessments and services that could prevent a long wait on public health waitlists.

"Gateway would be the primary way to get health services involved [with whānau who come into contact with the oranga tamariki system]. But so many cases get closed before it can go to FGC and there are lots of flags that come up through our [Oranga Tamariki investigation] process and they get missed. At a site level, if it doesn’t [meet] the threshold to go to an FGC, they close it … [Whānau] then have to sit on the public waiting list for an assessment for months and years through the health system.” ORANGA TAMARIKI HOSPITAL LIAISON KAIMAHI

Plans made at FGCs are not always actioned and services and supports are not always available to tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau at the FGC stage

We reported in 2023/24 that a lack of available services and supports meant that plans made at FGCs are not always followed through and actioned.¹⁰² We heard that this issue remained in 2024/25.

Services and supports for education and health, including those for mental health, were mentioned as examples where funding is insufficient.

Oranga Tamariki kaimahi told us that requests for Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (ICAMHS) are sometimes declined for tamariki and rangatahi known to Oranga Tamariki because their needs are considered ‘behavioural’ rather than due to mental health issues or because tamariki are in Oranga Tamariki care and ICAMHS expects Oranga Tamariki to fund services for these tamariki. We have reported on this over several years in our Experiences of Care in AotearoaCloseAotearoa
New ZealandView the full glossary reports. We continue to hear from Oranga Tamariki kaimahi that tamariki and rangatahi known to Oranga Tamariki are missing out on the mental health services they need.

In our 2024/25 Experiences of Care in Aotearoa report, Oranga Tamariki kaimahi again told us that the thresholds for support from high and complex needs (HCN) funding are too high.¹⁰³

Oranga Tamariki kaimahi also told us about being unable to refer to services agreed to in FGC plans or not having services available to put into plans. This can be due to a lack of funding, because there are no service providers or because there are no professionals such as psychologists available to complete assessments. This leaves tamariki, rangatahi and whānau without the help they need to address identified care and protection concerns.

"It means we can’t refer or recommend any services at the FGC. There will be recommendations, but who pays for it? Especially when plans go to court.” ORANGA TAMARIKI KAIMAHI

"We’re expected to put FGC plans in place and the courts expect X amount to be seen in FGC plans. But we’re struggling to do that. We do it ourselves, the mentoring and the community work.” ORANGA TAMARIKI YOUTH JUSTICE KAIMAHI

We also heard from Oranga Tamariki kaimahi that sites are not sufficiently budgeted to fund prevention services. Funding for things in youth justice FGC plans such as help acquiring birth certificates and driver licences for rangatahi is no longer guaranteed. Kaimahi told us that community services such as mentoring and peer support are often private and expensive to fund. There is little funding for prevention so they must “resort to contracts and short-term services” and cannot fund everyone.

"It would be great to have mentoring, but a lot of the contracting that we have – the mentoring units – is coming up to about $4,500. If you’re mentoring with a child for 12 months, that can make a huge difference. But $4,500 will only last for a few months. Longer- term involvement is what we’re challenged to provide and fund.” ORANGA TAMARIKI KAIMAHI

A small number of kaimahi told us about the practice of having funding for services approved in advance of the FGC. They told us that, if unexpected expenses are raised during the FGC, there is no guarantee these will be approved.

"One thing our site has been doing now, with our manager, who is careful [with money], is before we go into [FGC], we have been encouraged to put in the plan and get it approved before, like with travel or if we think parents would be good to go to therapy. Our manager encourages us to put in the plan for the manager to approve. Doesn’t want us to come out [of FGC] with unexpected expenses.” ORANGA TAMARIKI KAIMAHI

As stated in this and other reports, FGCs are not always being convened as the legislation intended. If plans are approved before the conference, it suggests they are pre-determined without the intended input from whānau and other professionals. It also suggests that decisions are made based on resources rather than need.

Sometimes services and supports are promised but not delivered

While we heard some positive accounts from tamariki, rangatahi and whānau about services and supports they received – which we highlight at the end of this section – we also heard accounts of services and supports being promised by Oranga Tamariki but not provided.

"[Oranga Tamariki] didn’t follow through with some of the support. I thought I would be closer to my family, and my sister and my mum came down to support me, but in regards for the support in the whānau hui, [Oranga Tamariki] didn’t follow through … I would send them quotes but they wouldn’t get back to me.” 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 MEMBER

"Things not getting done is frustrating and gets in the way of me doing good.” RANGATAHI

We were given examples of difficulties accessing Gateway assessments, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder/ADHD diagnoses, family therapy and help to enrol in education. We also heard about difficulties with financial support for medical appointments, daycare and – in some cases – to move location. A grandparent said it had taken a year for a social worker to refer them to a particular therapy service, and one parent told us that it wasn’t until they threatened to make a complaint that support became available.

"My expectations have not gone up. I am going to give functional family therapy a go. I don’t want to, as a year ago it would have been perfect. It is now too late, but I will give it a go to see what happens.” WHĀNAU MEMBER

One whānau member discussed not being told about supports that would have been available in school, such as Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour and Social Workers in Schools.

"It would be nice for those who do take on kids to have information about what things are available. It’s been really hard not having anyone back you up. The only support I have is family – they see the holes in the walls and bruises. Access to services and supports is a real barrier especially if you don’t know about it.” WHĀNAU MEMBER

There are barriers to successful delivery of youth justice intervention services

Kaimahi from iwiCloseiwi
TribeView the full glossary and Māori services, NZ Police and Oranga Tamariki told us about barriers to youth justice intervention services working well for tamariki and rangatahi Māori.

Kaimahi from iwi and Māori services spoke about there not being enough social workers, referrals from Oranga Tamariki being late and lacking information about rangatahi and a lack of funding for a variety of programmes, resulting in rangatahi getting bored with the same limited programmes.

NZ Police spoke about communication issues between frontline police officers and Youth Aid and between NZ Police and some iwi and Māori service providers that prevent tamariki and rangatahi accessing services they need in a timely way.

We heard from NZ Police and Oranga Tamariki kaimahi that waitlists for services are too long. Waits for services that help address behavioural needs and provide supported bail and mentoring can be up to two years. This means tamariki and rangatahi don’t receive the services and support they need and may continue to offend.

We also heard about the scarcity of services and, where services such as mentoring are helping, them not being provided for the length of time needed.

"It feels like quantity over quality and not very preventative over the amount of time. It’s too short term.” MĀORI SOCIAL SERVICE KAIMAHI

"The supported bail programme is limited, limited mentors. We are trying to get more agencies contracted but Oranga Tamariki are cutting funding, not increasing it.” POLICE OFFICER

Oranga Tamariki kamahi we heard from told us that community providers are doing what they can to help, but they are struggling with limited resources.

"[It’s] pretty dire across the bail without support. There’s no supported bail in Tauranga. One of our big community organisations [that ran supported bail] was shut down and we lost two remand homes and a bail home. We lost supported bail and mentoring with that.” ORANGA TAMARIKI KAIMAHI

"There’s pressure on iwi and other services that are already struggling. Like Rotorua, we’ve got very little mentoring contracts available to us. The [mentoring programmes] that are there are full and are taking on extra kids to do us favours at times. Then the rangatahi they are working with aren’t getting the regular support they need because [mentoring programmes are] trying to fit kids in.” ORANGA TAMARIKI KAIMAHI

Police officers spoke specifically about the difficulties in getting a timely diagnosis for neurodiversity for tamariki and rangatahi and a lack of help for whānau. They referred to this having a negative impact on engagement in school and services and supports not being available without a diagnosis.

"A lot of our whānau need help with neurodiverse rangatahi because they are not getting support from the Ministry of Health and we have a school system that says one way fits all. A lot of our Māori kids are getting kicked out of school … Majority of our kids are on the spectrum. This is how we are getting kids who aren’t going to school. Where are these kids going? Nowhere, because they don’t have a place … If we had the supports that could support whānau, things could be different.” POLICE OFFICER

IwiCloseIwi
TribeView the full glossary and Māori organisations across the motu are increasingly willing and able to take on some of the responsibilities and functions of the oranga tamariki system to prevent entry into care and improve outcomes for 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 Māori. In doing so, they are delivering a system that offers a kaupapa Māori and whānau-centred alternative to the way Oranga Tamariki and its predecessors have operated.

Iwi and Māori providers can be better placed to support whānau Māori than government agencies. Reasons include their ability to build lasting and trusting relationships with whānau, particularly where whānau have the same iwi affiliation and iwi involvement is lifelong.¹⁰⁷

Iwi and Māori organisations can also provide more flexible, holistic and culturally appropriate support than government agencies. They can often work alongside whānau, responding to their particular circumstances (whatever they are), and can also focus on long-term, intergenerational needs. They have a vested interest in seeing whānau thrive.¹⁰⁸ In contrast, government services and supports tend to be short term and bound by rigid criteria and service specifications.¹⁰⁹

In this section, we highlight three iwi-led initiatives in the regions we visited in 2024/25. They demonstrate the potential of iwi and Māori providers to strengthen the oranga tamariki system. In each case, iwi and/or their provider arms are delivering parts of the system previously delivered by Oranga Tamariki and activating what ‘good’ looks like for whānau Māori.

Oranga Tamariki is supporting these initiatives through its contracting of services and supports and with varying degrees of decentralising responsibility.

Mahuru delivers youth justice intervention in a rangatahicentred way

Mahuru is a six-week intensive remand programme based in Kaikohe, delivered by Ngāpuhi Iwi Social Services (NISS) through a contract with Oranga Tamariki for shared care. Mahuru is for taitamariki¹¹⁰ Māori from Ngāpuhi who are in the custody of Oranga Tamariki on remand¹¹¹ because of alleged or admitted offending.¹¹²

NISS supports up to three taitamariki Māori on Mahuru at any one time.¹¹³ Since November 2019¹¹⁴ and up until 30 June 2025, 64 taitamariki have attended Mahuru – 15 taitamariki attended Mahuru in 2024/25.¹¹⁵

Taitamariki live with supportive caregivers

In Mahuru, taitamariki Māori live with mātua atawhai (caregivers) in their homes. This is a key point of difference from community remand homes run by Oranga Tamariki or other providers – where a group of rangatahi are detained together in a home usually run by staff who work in shifts.

Mātua atawhai provide a safe home and oneto- one care while taitamariki are on remand. They also provide guidance and stability while helping taitamariki strengthen their cultural identity through shared experiences and whakapapa connections.

"This young fella we had, we found out he was connected to us by my great great grandmother. When we went to go and meet the whānau and saw how close we were connected, he then felt connected. He had come up from Auckland and he felt part of our family right away. That’s what is important. Some of them don’t have that when they come up. It gives them some kind of foundation here with us.” MĀTUA ATAWHAI

"We treat them like our own. We make sure they feel like whānau first.” MĀTUA ATAWHAI

Taitamariki have dedicated mentors to support them

Each taitamariki also has two Ngāpuhi mentors as they participate in a six-week individualised programme. These activities are designed to develop their cultural identity and pride as young Ngāpuhi and achieve the goals outlined in their teina¹¹⁶ plans.

"[Mentors] just try and see what I want to do, not what they want me to do. They are helping me get a job, they are teaching me my background, my Māori history. Teaching me new skills, like gathering kai, learning how to budget … They teach you about keeping yourself tidy, and they like keeping me active.” RANGATAHI

When taitamariki are placed on the Mahuru programme, they initially attend a three-day camp with their mentors, usually on the east coast of Te Tai Tokerau. This is an opportunity to reflect, relax and enjoy being surrounded by Tāne Mahuta and Tangaroa. Taitamariki also build connections with their mentors and learn about the expectations of the programme.

"We have found that this is a fabulous opportunity for the young person to build a rapport with the mentors and for them to know each other well, and then they start to talk about the programme and the things they can potentially do.” NISS LEADER

Taitamariki are supported by their mentors to complete a teina plan based on their goals and needs

A key feature of the programme is an individualised teina plan that is developed with taitamariki and based on their specific goals and needs. The teina plan addresses culture (including whakapapa and connection to marae), health, education, life skills and recreation.

Taitamariki are able to participate in a range of activities and to learn new skills.

"They take me places. I have to earn it first before fun stuff, like fishing, hunting, diving, bush walking, gym, carving, gardens.” RANGATAHI

Cultural connection is compulsory. Taitamariki have opportunities to visit their marae and to reconnect with their whenua (land), including through visits to their maunga (mountain) and awa (river). Taitamariki also have opportunities to visit places of cultural significance such as Waitangi, Tāne Mahuta and Ōhaeawai to learn about their history.

"If we only have a bit of their whakapapa, we will tap into finding out more about their whakapapa – spending time at their marae, meet kaumātua living on the papakāinga.” NISS LEADER

"I’ve been to Tāne Mahuta and learnt about him and what he brings and then I’ve been to the battlefields. They took me there and explained what had happened.” RANGATAHI

Education is compulsory up to the age of 16, and taitamariki at Mahuru are enrolled through Te Kura. They also receive support from Te Kona,¹¹⁷ an organisation contracted by NISS to work with taitamariki on Mahuru. Taitamariki are helped to get NCEA credits and, if eligible, a learner driver licence.

"They are enrolled through Kura and [Te Kona kaimahi] strives to get their credits – numeracy and literacy and a driver licence. They will focus on an activity where they can go out like fishing – do karakia, baiting, and get credits for it.” NISS LEADER

"It’s a good learning place. I learn about my Māori history and getting my credits in numeracy and literacy.” RANGATAHI

"I got my NCEA in health and food safety at Te Kona, so that’s cool.” RANGATAHI

Kaimahi also help taitamariki to set up bank accounts, prepare a CV and get ID to help prepare them for adulthood.

Taitamariki feel seen, cared for and safe

Taitamariki we heard from told us about feeling seen, cared for and safe while on the Mahuru programme.

"This place is good for me … They are all welcoming, all the nannies have all the stories, and they know who you are and where you come from.” RANGATAHI

"These people actually care about you.” RANGATAHI

"I just know that I’m safe, feel safe, just the way they speak to me, I know I’m safe.” RANGATAHI

NISS kaimahi told us they provide support to taitamariki that rangatahi in remand homes would usually get from their Oranga Tamariki social workers. This includes supporting taitamariki at their court appearances and taking them to FGCs.

"What we do differently, as I understand it, from community homes is we take them to court and support them in court. Whereas in other community homes, the social worker does it. We do doctor, dentist, that stuff as well, we take them to family group conference – we are there for their whole journey.” NISS LEADER

Taitamariki are also farewelled from Mahuru in a personal way.

"We get a taonga for them at the end of the programme. Not just any old taonga. Our team who have built a good relationship with them over the six weeks – and we have a good relationship with a woman up here – and they will talk to her about the attributes of the young person. So there is a lot of thought that goes into the taonga – it could be wooden, greenstone or bone.” NISS LEADER

Oranga Tamariki is not referring rangatahi to Mahuru in line with the original intent

NISS kaimahi told us that, when Mahuru was first established, the intent was for taitamariki Māori to go to Mahuru immediately following their arrest and first appearance in Youth Court. Taitamariki Māori referred to Mahuru were also to be living in Te Tai Tokerau, so they would be on remand in their communities and closer to their whānau. This would make their transition out of custodial remand more likely to succeed.

Over time, the reality has moved away from the original intent. In 2024/25, most taitamariki Māori referred to Mahuru, while of Ngāpuhi descent, resided in Tāmaki MakaurauCloseTāmaki Makaurau
AucklandView the full glossary. Many had also been on remand in a secure institutional environment before coming to Mahuru.

But a supportive and collaborative relationship with Oranga Tamariki is making a difference

Despite some earlier issues, we heard from NISS kaimahi that communication with Oranga Tamariki has greatly improved. This is benefiting taitamariki and usually means that a transition plan is in place and that taitamariki will be able to get bail at the end of the programme rather than remaining in the custody of Oranga Tamariki.

"There is more of an assurance that there is a plan for [taitamariki] when they leave us and that’s the best impact I can see.” NISS LEADER

Rangatahi attending Mahuru also told us they felt well supported by their Oranga Tamariki social workers.

"He tries to keep me out of trouble by keeping me busy, does heaps of paperwork so I can go home to whānau. He was here yesterday. I asked to go back to my course [when back in Auckland]. Social worker has been up twice in the last four and a half weeks. He calls me every week … My social worker cares about me.” RANGATAHI

Gains delivered by Mahuru can be impacted by the broader system

NISS leadership told us some external factors can remove some of the gains and positive changes produced by Mahuru. These include:

• lack of suitable placements for taitamariki to move to after completing Mahuru, which can mean they move to an institutional environment like an Oranga Tamariki residence or a community remand home
• periods of remand being too long
• lack of support for whānau and taitamariki to prevent further offending where taitamariki return home or to their previous living arrangement on bail.

More support needs to be provided to taitamariki after they leave Mahuru

While the Mahuru programme is making a difference to taitamariki, mātua atawhai told us they wish more services and support were available to taitamariki after they leave the programme.

"Transition our tamariki from here to the adulthood needs more work to be done, someone to help the rangatahi with their licences, bank accounts, all that stuff they need in real life. That’s what makes me sad about these kids, we need someone to help them on that end.” MĀTUA ATAWHAI

Mahuru is demonstrating some positive impacts

While there are some challenges, positive results are being realised for taitamariki who attend Mahuru.

Mahuru kaimahi record a video interview of all taitamariki completing the programme, and these are often provided to the court. NISS kaimahi described seeing many positive changes in taitamariki during their time on Mahuru, with Youth Court judges being visibly moved by the changes. What may look like small changes – such as taitamariki being able to pause and reflect on their actions or being proud of themselves – are marks of enormous progress.

NISS records give examples of changes observed in taitamariki completing Mahuru in 2024/25. Examples include taitamariki being described as hard workers, completing all tasks put to them, encouraging other teina to participate, engaging in voluntary work for kaumātua (elders), coming out of their shells and becoming more honest.

"These are mostly kids who have been told they are useless, [that they will] fail at school. And they come here and get attention and love it. They get credits and can show success.” NISS LEADER

Some taitamariki keep in touch with their Mahuru mentors after they leave and report that they are doing well.

"[Taitamariki] might reach out to mentors after they have left here. They might say ‘I’m still doing really good, I’m staying out of trouble’.” NISS LEADER

Hapori is led by Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira in partnership with other providers and is reducing reports of concern

We mentioned the Hapori pilot in our 2023/24 Outcomes for Māori report. This was in the context of the strategic partnership agreement between Oranga Tamariki and Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira. We have looked at the pilot in more detail as part of our 2024/25 regional engagements in Greater Wellington.

When we visited in early 2025, the Oranga Tamariki site in Porirua had been managed by one of the leaders from the provider arm of Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira for two years. This secondment had strengthened local relationships between Ngāti Toa iwi and Oranga Tamariki. It had also provided new opportunities for local whānau to be supported.

Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira leaders told us they had intentionally made space for other community providers to work with tamariki, rangatahi and whānau coming to the attention of Oranga Tamariki. This built upon the desire, aspiration and ability of iwi and partner agencies to work more collaboratively.

The Porirua Hapori pilot was established in 2023, building on work that was previously underway between Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and Oranga Tamariki.

Through the Hapori referral pathway, reports of concern are triaged by the Porirua site in consultation with Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira. Based on the presenting early risk factors, every whānau of tamariki at the centre of these reports of concern is referred to one of the partner social service providers. These providers are Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, Porirua Whānau Centre, Taeaomanino Trust, Wesley Community Action and – more recently – ASK (A Safe Kapiti). The providers then work directly with whānau to offer support that can address and/or resolve the risk factors that led to the report of concern being made.

Hapori shows the value of wraparound supports for whānau

It is widely recognised that an approach to whānau from an iwi or community provider is more likely to be accepted than an approach from Oranga Tamariki. The ability of providers to work directly and holistically with whānau can have positive impacts and ultimately prevent entry into care for tamariki and rangatahi.

In late 2023, Oranga Tamariki evaluated the pilot and found positive results.¹¹⁸ Whānau spoke positively about the way they were approached by partner providers and the support they received. They spoke about feeling more comfortable and open with iwi and community providers rather than having to talk to Oranga Tamariki about the reports of concern. Kaimahi involved in the pilot were also positive.

Data shows that 153 whānau Māori, involving 334 tamariki Māori, were supported by Hapori between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025. More recent data shows that the Porirua site has had the lowest renotification rate for the region¹¹⁹ as well as a minimal increase in reports of concern compared to the same period in the previous year.¹²⁰

The Hapori pilot is continuing to work well

When we spoke with people in Greater Wellington, we heard several accounts of the Hapori pilot continuing to work well.

Oranga Tamariki leaders emphasised the partnership approach led by Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and the ability for providers to work together to identify who could best support each whānau.

"On this site, [the relationship with Ngāti Toa] is a massive enabler. We can manage work easier and get better outcomes for kids and whānau. Hapori are genuinely around the table with other organisations for the work that is potential low level. We have developed trust. They are working with us and it means whānau think if [Hapori] trust them, we will too. It opens doors quite literally.” ORANGA TAMARIKI LEADER

"At Hapori, we are not the head of that table. It is the community lead. That’s partnership. We aren’t the boss of everything … They are inside our house and can see everything, not just halfway.” ORANGA TAMARIKI REGIONAL LEADER

Kaimahi from a Hapori provider told us about the importance of an organisation other than Oranga Tamariki approaching whānau to offer support.

"Our families, they’re really anxious when Oranga Tamariki is mentioned in any conversation and when they knock on their door because [Oranga Tamariki] have no knowledge, because of the language and cultural protocols. [Oranga Tamariki] don’t get it and so I really like my Hapori role.” NGO KAIMAHI

Preventing entry into care is at the heart of Hapori

The intention of Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira is to prevent its tamariki and rangatahi coming into care. We heard this is a key motivator behind joint efforts to strengthen whānau when concerns are raised and to enable them to keep their tamariki and rangatahi at home safely with them.

"We’ve worked for years in the community, and we’ve asked for help and [iwi social service] has always been willing … They were so concerned about the number of tamariki coming into Oranga Tamariki. They took on so many young people and whānau because of their worry of numbers coming into care, so it has been a humbling journey. So we want to break the cycle. We work with Hapori. It’s exciting and keeps me going.” ORANGA TAMARIKI LEADER

Oranga Tamariki could take a longerterm approach to supporting this work

At the time of our engagements in 2025, the future of Hapori was uncertain. Oranga Tamariki had funded one full-time kaimahi from each of the partner organisations, and the contract for this was due for renewal in December 2025.

We were told by Oranga Tamariki that Hapori would benefit from sustained infrastructure, including ongoing quality assurance. We also heard how the commitment and support from Oranga Tamariki kaimahi have helped to keep the pilot going.

At the time of writing this report, Hapori continues as an inter-agency response to reports of concern that would benefit from a long-term investment from Oranga Tamariki. We have heard from Oranga Tamariki that it has recently used an existing vacancy to recruit a Kaiarahi Hapori, who will support the pilot for 12 months.

In late 2025, Hapori was also awarded funding through the Resilience to Organised Crime in Communities initiative for an expansion of the model. This expansion supports tamariki aged 8–12 who have had multiple interactions with NZ Police and who are at risk of becoming involved in organised crime. This work includes input from a cross-agency team from NZ Police, Oranga Tamariki and the Ministry of Education.

We will be interested to see the difference this is making in future, building on the success of the Hapori pilot.

Te Pūkāea o te Waiora provides a local alternative to the National Contact Centre

As outlined in our report Towards a stronger safety net to prevent abuse of children,¹²¹ Te Pūkāea o Te Waiora (Te Pūkāea) offers a whānau-centred alternative to the Oranga Tamariki front door. As our report found, Oranga Tamariki site capacity is driving its response to reports of concern rather than the safety of the child. Te Pūkāea works on the premise that all tamariki and rangatahi who are the subject of a report of concern should be seen and supported.

Te Pūkāea is an initiative between Oranga Tamariki and the Eastern Bay of Plenty Iwi Provider Alliance, led by Te Tohu o Te Ora o Ngāti Awa. Te Pūkāea is supported by the Oranga Tamariki Enabling Communities¹²² initiative to strengthen community-led approaches to intake, early response and support.

Through Te Pūkāea, a network of whānau navigators work across the Eastern Bay of Plenty to provide services and supports to whānau, often – but not always – in response to a report of concern. It represents an intentional shift away from a one-size-fits-all national intake model towards a communitydriven gateway to services and supports for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau.

An important part of the model is Te Reo Karanga, a kaupapa Māori referral and triage service based in Whakatāne. Te Tohu o Te Ora o Ngāti Awa (Ngāti Awa) operates the service, receiving the Oranga Tamariki National Contact Centre calls during office hours that relate to tamariki, rangatahi and whānau located within the Whakatāne site catchment.

Decentralising operational functions enables decision making to occur closer to whānau

Te Pūkāea demonstrates the transfer of specific operational functions ordinarily carried out by Oranga Tamariki.¹²³ Te Reo Karanga receives calls and reports of concern for the Eastern Bay of Plenty. Qualified social workers then assess needs before determining the appropriate pathway.

Te Reo Karanga social workers:

• receive reports of concern
• undertake initial triage and assessment
• determine appropriate non-statutory pathways
• refer whānau to navigators with connections to local supports.

Cases that require statutory involvement are referred back to Oranga Tamariki. Other cases are referred to Te Pūkāea, which connects whānau with community services to meet their identified needs.

This enables decisions to be made closer to whānau within a service that is grounded in local relationships, knowledge of the rohe and kaupapa Māori practice. Oranga Tamariki retains responsibility for statutory decision making and child safety but is no longer the sole entry point to the wider oranga tamariki system in this region.

Crucially, all whānau who are referred to Te Pūkāea are offered support. No case is considered to require no further action.

Over one-third of reports of concern did not need a statutory response, but support was offered instead

All contacts received by Te Reo Karanga are recorded in CYRAS. However, at the time of writing this report, Te Pūkāea kaimahi are unable to get comprehensive data back from Oranga Tamariki. As such, they are relying on their own records. Recent changes to data entry at Te Pūkāea means that some detailed data is available for this report for the period February to June 2025.¹²⁴

For the five months from 1 February to 30 June 2025:

• Te Reo Karanga received 350 reports of concern – these related to 324 individual tamariki and rangatahi and some individuals were the subject of multiple reports of concern
• of the 324 tamariki and rangatahi who were the subjects of a report of concern:
  • 83 percent were identified by the notifier as Māori (270 individuals)
  • 56 percent were known to be female (180 individuals) and 40 percent male (128 individuals)¹²⁵
  • 29 percent (94 tamariki) were aged 0–4, 38 percent (124 tamariki) were aged 5–12, 28 percent (90 rangatahi) were aged 13–17 and 2 percent (seven pēpi) were not yet born¹²⁶
• just over half (54 percent) were referred back to Oranga Tamariki for a statutory response
• just over a third (36 percent) were referred to Te Pūkāea for the offer of support from whānau navigators¹²⁷
• of those tamariki, rangatahi and whānau referred to Te Pūkāea:
  • 100 percent were offered services and supports from whānau navigators 
  • 22 percent have not yet engaged with whānau navigators (and may be reluctant to) but are aware that the door is always open 
  • 36 percent have services and supports in place at the time of writing 
  • 11 percent have exited without needing further referrals 
  • 69 percent are considered to be stable and supported – a combination of those with supports currently in place and those not requiring them. 

Data also shows that the profile of cases in the Whakatāne site has changed as a result of Te Pūkāea being in operation. This is to be expected given the arrangement that only reports of concern requiring a statutory response are referred to Oranga Tamariki. Te Reo Karanga referred 54 percent of reports of concern it received to Oranga Tamariki for statutory response. Of those, 63 percent were referred for a child and family assessment and 37 percent required NZ Police involvement under the Child Protection Protocol.

Te Pūkāea delivers responsive and connected support for whānau

In our regional engagements, we heard Te Pūkāea is working well to triage reports of concern and support tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau. Some professionals told us that Te Pūkāea is responding quickly to reports of concern and tamariki, rangatahi and whānau can access a range of services in the community to support their needs.

"The main benefit of having the call centre here is that they can get a [report of concern], take all the details down. The decision is then made as to whether that referral is to come to us. That whole process can take just 30–40 minutes. If it’s family harm that maybe occurred overnight, then a whānau navigator calls them the next day. The victims can’t believe the response is so quick.” 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 NAVIGATOR 

"Some of the cases we were getting in the past were not meeting [the Oranga Tamariki] threshold. It was just really ‘need for services’ and we were annoying whānau – thinking we [were] gonna remove [tamariki and rangatahi from] whānau. By going to Te Pūkāea, they can identify if they [tamariki and rangatahi] need care and protection or not.” ORANGA TAMARIKI KAIMAHI

"[Whānau] prefer Te Pūkāea showing up than Oranga Tamariki because we’re really quite transparent …They prefer that we’re working with them than Oranga Tamariki. They’re more open to looking at the services because they have a choice.” TE PŪKĀEA KAIMAHI

When we visited Te Pūkāea again in early 2026, we also heard that relationships with other stakeholders in the Eastern Bay of Plenty were strong. We were told that kaimahi at Whakatāne Hospital had initially doubted the capacity of Te Pūkāea to respond to whānau following reports of concern, but this had been turned around. Hospital kaimahi now trusted Te Pūkāea and referred directly to Te Reo Karanga rather than to Oranga Tamariki.

Looking to the future with a whānau-centred approach

At the time of writing, discussions were underway between the Eastern Bay of Plenty Iwi Provider Alliance and Oranga Tamariki about the future of Te Pūkāea. Both parties recognise the success of the prototype and its ability to improve outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau Māori.

It is expected that Oranga Tamariki will formalise Te Pūkāea with a delegation under the Oranga Tamariki Act in the near future. Oranga Tamariki leadership have told us they support the decentralisation of certain functions and responsibilities and are working towards ensuring that the delegation of authority in specific circumstances can happen smoothly and safely.

Our legislation requires us to report on the strategic partnerships that Oranga Tamariki has with iwiCloseiwi
TribeView the full glossary and Māori organisations. Strategic partnerships are one of the ways Oranga Tamariki works to improve outcomes for tamarikiClosetamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary and rangatahiCloserangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary Māori and their 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.

Oranga Tamariki has 10 strategic partnerships in place

Strategic partnerships are formal partnerships between Oranga Tamariki and iwi and Māori organisations, including iwi authorities. They are intended to:

• provide opportunities for “innovative proposals” to improve outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau Māori
• enable expectations and targets to be set for improved outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau Māori
• enable robust and regular information sharing
• enable the chief executive of Oranga Tamariki to delegate functions
• support cultural competency and best practice among Oranga Tamariki kaimahi.¹²⁸

Oranga Tamariki had 10 strategic partnerships in place with iwi authorities and Māori organisations at the end of June 2025. 

Each strategic partnership agreement is shaped by the values and objectives of the strategic partner. However, they share the same focus on supporting tamariki, rangatahi and whānau and preventing tamariki and rangatahi from entering care or custody.

Oranga Tamariki is refreshing its approach to partnerships

We met Oranga Tamariki leaders in March 2026 to discuss progress with the strategic partnerships. We were particularly interested to know about the difference these partnerships are making and how they are being leveraged to improve outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau Māori involved with the oranga tamariki system.

We heard that Oranga Tamariki is refreshing its approach to all partnerships, including strategic partnerships. Work is underway to develop a new partnership framework. This will include a deeper understanding of the scope of partnerships needed to support the work of the oranga tamariki system and of the responsibilities and obligations entailed for each partner.

We heard that engagements were to take place from mid-May with a range of iwi partners (up to five) across the partnership spectrum as well as other providers and stakeholders (also up to five).

Oranga Tamariki leaders expect to consider a final draft framework in mid-2026, with decisions about implementation some months after this.

Strategic partnerships can be leveraged for Enabling Communities prototypes

We also heard from Oranga Tamariki leaders that the existence of a strategic partnership has paved the way for Enabling Communities prototypes to be agreed and developed. Enabling Communities prototypes are a means of testing new ways of working – often with iwi and Māori providers taking a lead role – to establish a blueprint that could be used in the future. This is vital groundwork for a detailed understanding of what iwi and Māori providers and other organisations need to be able to take on some of the functions and responsibilities currently held by Oranga Tamariki. As such, Enabling Communities prototypes will inform future changes to the Oranga Tamariki operating model, including collective learning about how to safely decentralise and delegate parts of the care and protection system.

A strategic partnership can open the door to Enabling Communities prototypes because the existing relationships often mean there is trust and understanding of each party’s capability and capacity. When run by strategic partners, Enabling Communities prototypes put section 7(h)(a) of the Oranga Tamariki Act into practice as opportunities for “innovative proposals” to improve outcomes to be developed and tested.

Enabling Communities prototypes signal significant shifts for both Oranga Tamariki and its partners. Oranga Tamariki leaders told us that, although some partners want to move faster, the change required internally (for example, with systems, policies and processes) to support the successful delivery of individual prototypes takes time. They also spoke about the risks partners are taking on and the work needed to ensure those risks are understood and mitigated. This is important to keep tamariki and rangatahi safe.

Some strategic partners have told us that the potential of these partnerships has not been realised

We have spoken with a number of strategic partners in the last few years, particularly as we developed our approach to reporting on outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau Māori involved in the oranga tamariki system. A common theme is emerging as some strategic partners have told us that the potential of these partnerships has not been realised.

The work Oranga Tamariki is now doing to refresh its partnership framework will be welcomed by some of these partners. We look forward to seeing an approach that both Oranga Tamariki and strategic partners will find purposeful and cohesive.

We focus on three strategic partners in this report

We featured Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-O-Ngāpuhi, Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and Ngāti Kahungunu in our 2023/24 Outcomes for Māori report. These three iwi volunteered to be a focus of our inaugural report.

This year, to tie in with our 2024/25 regional engagements, we feature the Eastern Bay Iwi Provider Alliance. The purpose of this is to consider the impact of the partnerships at a strategic level rather than focus on services being delivered by iwi providers.

As our 2024/25 regional engagements took place in Te Tai Tokerau and Greater Wellington as well as the Bay of Plenty, we have also followed up and spoken with NISS and Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira to see whether there had been any change to their experience as strategic partners.¹²⁹ As with last year’s report, NISS has been delegated by Te Rūnanga-Ā- Iwi-O-Ngāpuhi to speak on matters relating to Oranga Tamariki.

We are grateful to the Eastern Bay Iwi Provider Alliance, Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and NISS for speaking freely about their perspectives and experiences.

The Eastern Bay Iwi Provider Alliance was in place before the strategic partnership

The Eastern Bay of Plenty, Te Moana-a-Toi, lies on the eastern coast of the North Island with a population of approximately 55,000 people. It encompasses Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki and Kawerau districts.

The Eastern Bay Iwi Provider Alliance (the Alliance) was established in 2017 in recognition that there were strategic opportunities to work collaboratively with whānau and government agencies. Its mission is to improve the wellbeing of whānau through seamless service delivery, shared qualified workforce and influencing and responding effectively to opportunities across different sectors.

The Alliance comprises four organisations: Te Tohu o te Ora o Ngāti Awa, Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau Hauora, Te Pou Oranga o Whakatōhea and Tūhoe Hauora. Most of these organisations are mandated by their iwi.

The strategic partnership agreement between Oranga Tamariki and the Eastern Bay Iwi Provider Alliance was signed in August 2020. Under the agreement, partners agree to work together to:

• centralise and coordinate regional approaches to engagement, support, decision making and solutions for tamariki Māori and whānau
• plan for the long term, with a focus on localised accountability, and tailored local solutions information by whakapapa, tikangaClosetikanga
  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 and kawaClosekawa
  PoliciesView the full glossary
• prioritise whānau aspirations to reshape the delivery of support services
• develop a new approach to outcomes measurement to enable a whānau-centric approach
• utilise the partnership to build a crossgovernment relationship.

When we met leaders from the Alliance, we heard about its leadership model whereby each of the four chief executives lead specific areas on behalf of the Alliance. This arrangement is based on the respective expertise and experience of each organisation and is designed to make the most effective use of the Alliance’s combined resources. When one of the chief executives speaks with a government agency, they are doing so on behalf of the Alliance.

Te Tohu o te Ora o Ngāti Awa takes a lead role in the strategic partnership with Oranga Tamariki

Although each of the four organisations works with Oranga Tamariki, it is Te Tohu o te Ora o Ngāti Awa that leads the Alliance’s strategic partnership with Oranga Tamariki.¹³⁰

Te Tohu o te Ora o Ngāti Awa (Ngāti Awa Social and Health Services) was established in 1989 and mandated by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa to provide all social and health services to Ngāti Awa. This followed the successful establishment of Mātua Whangai Services by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa in 1987.¹³¹

When we spoke with leaders from the Alliance, we heard that Te Tohu o te Ora o Ngāti Awa was already well placed to provide services and supports to tamariki, rangatahi and whānau in the rohe before its relationship with Oranga Tamariki was formalised. Te Tohu o te Ora o Ngāti Awa works with whānau irrespective of whakapapa and ethnicity, including those who whakapapa to Ngāti Awa, those who whakapapa to other iwi and those who are tauiwi.

Although Te Tohu o te Ora o Ngāti Awa – and the Alliance – was well established, we heard a perspective from Oranga Tamariki that it was the strategic partnership that led to the development of the Enabling Communities prototype, Te Pūkāea o te Waiora, which is featured separately in this report. Through its call centre, Te Reo Karanga, Te Pūkāea triages calls redirected from the Oranga Tamariki National Contact Centre and helps whānau to access community information and services.¹³²

Leaders from the Alliance told us that, while Te Tohu o te Ora o Ngāti Awa fronts Te Pūkāea and works directly with Oranga Tamariki on the prototype, the work sits across the Alliance. Whānau navigators from Te Pūkāea can put whānau in touch with services and supports offered by the other organisations and across the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

We also heard from the Alliance that the partnership enables Oranga Tamariki to have a relationship with most iwi that is relatively straightforward.

The strategic partnership can facilitate access to other areas of government

Both the Alliance and Oranga Tamariki share the view that the successful Enabling Communities prototype in Te Pūkāea brings a focus and a spotlight on the Alliance that is beneficial. This can open the door to other developments.

Te Tohu o te Ora o Ngāti Awa is in early stages of developing a family harm prototype, commissioned by the Social Investment Agency. This is a way in which the strategic partnership has been helpful. Publicly released information states that this second prototype will expand Te Pūkāea and “build community awareness of Family Harm and grow a fully trained workforce to support whānau dealing with historic trauma”.¹³³

Other government-funded initiatives are underway to support whānau wellbeing such as the Affordable Rentals initiative, which is targeted at whānau who are working and on a pathway to home ownership.¹³⁴

We also heard that Alliance leaders support the decentralisation of whānau service provision away from government and – through their experience of the strategic partnership to date – are developing a stronger sense of how it can be used.

"We want to have a bigger risk appetite because our whānau need it.” EASTERN BAY IWI PROVIDER ALLIANCE LEADERSHIP

Ngāpuhi Iwi Social Services wants to see a long-term plan from Oranga Tamariki

Last year, we outlined how Ngāpuhi has good relationships with Oranga Tamariki at national and regional levels but that the strategic partnership had not been used to full effect. We heard that Ngāpuhi was not routinely at the table when strategic decisions were being made for its whānau, despite Ngāpuhi tamariki and rangatahi being disproportionately represented in both the care population and those involved more widely with Oranga Tamariki. At the time, Oranga Tamariki agreed with this view but told us that the relationship had since been strengthened.

For this report, we heard from NISS leaders that the intent and potential of the strategic partnership are still yet to be fully realised. For example, NISS leaders would like to agree strategic targets with Oranga Tamariki that show how outcomes can be improved for their tamariki, rangatahi and whānau involved with the agency. This would recognise the manaClosemana
Prestige, authority, control, power, influence, status, spiritual power, charismaView the full glossary of Ngāpuhi as a strategic partner rather than a contracted partner.

Despite this challenge, NISS is using the Enabling Communities prototype to establish the foundations for devolution of power, resources and the transfer of some services. This needs to be done in a way that works for the rohe and for the iwi.

This is in recognition that each region faces unique challenges and has a unique landscape of service provision. The approach that Oranga Tamariki has taken to funding and contracting has, to date, resulted in providers competing with one another rather than collaborating.

Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira remains committed to working collectively in the rohe to support whānau wellbeing

In last year’s report, we outlined how Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira views the strategic partnership as a tool to change the way the public sector works and that it is taking a leadership role within the rohe to support tamariki, rangatahi and whānau.

For this report, we similarly heard how Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira is pressing ahead with its mission to support whānau wellbeing despite the wider system of government agencies often failing to meet the needs of whānau. Leaders told us that the oranga tamariki system must focus on both preventing the need for statutory intervention as well as improving the quality of its intervention – but that there is a systemic failure among individual government agencies to understand the integrated, holistic nature of society’s problems and solutions. Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira must move past this and focus on progressing its Mauri Ora holistic wellbeing approach in the rohe. This is what whānau need, and this is what’s important.

We also heard how, as a part of this, there is a need for providers to work collectively in the rohe so that whānau have access to a range of services and supports to meet their needs. Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira is intentional about providing a broader set of supports. This is a view that is similarly echoed across the motu.

81 Under care or protection orders.
82 See section 7 of the Oranga Tamariki Act, which sets out the duty of the chief executive to take actions and steps the chief executive considers will achieve the purposes of the Act. The purposes of the Act are in section 4. Those that relate to intervening early and prevention are in sub-sections 4(1)(b), (c) and (d) legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1989/24/en/latest/#DLM147088
83 See sections 13(2)(a) and (b) and 208 of the Oranga Tamariki Act.
84 See footnote 30.
85 Oranga Tamariki. (2025). Target 3: Serious and persistent youth offending – understanding the regional perspective (p. 13). orangatamariki.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/About-us/Research/Latest-research/A-regional-perspective-on-serious-and-persistentoffending/ Target-3-Understanding-The-Regional-Perspective-accessible.pdf
86 Aroturuki TamarikiCloseTamariki
Children (plural) aged 0-13 yearsView the full glossary. (2025). Outcomes for tamariki and rangatahiCloserangatahi
Young person aged 14 – 21 years of ageView the full glossary Māori and their 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 in the oranga tamariki system (pp. 107–108). aroturuki.govt.nz/assets/Reports/outcomes/Outcomes-for-Maori-23-24-WEB.pdf
87 Reil, J., Lambie, I., Becroft, A., & Allen, R. (2022). How we fail children who offend and what to do about it: ‘A breakdown across the whole system’. Research and recommendations. Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation, New Zealand Law Foundation & University of Auckland (p.19). borrinfoundation.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Children-Who-Offend-Final-research-report-March2022.pdf
88 See (p. 6) of reference at footnote 87.
89 Ethnicity was not known for around 350 tamariki aged 10–13 involved in police proceedings in 2024/25, so this number is likely to be higher.
90 See footnote 87.
91 See (p. 4) of reference at footnote 87.
92 Police proceedings means any recorded interaction NZ Police had with tamariki and rangatahi in relation to offending or alleged offending. This could include taking no further action, issuing a warning or caution, alternative action, a referral to Te Pae Oranga Rangatahi (an alternative to prosecution designed for youth offenders aged 14–17 who have not met the level for a statutory response – discussed further at the end of this section of the report), a referral to a family group conference or prosecution.
93 We have only been able to present data for the first three quarters of 2024/25 because NZ Police changed the way it recorded against some categories of police proceedings from 1 April 2025. Instead of being listed in separate categories, warnings/ cautions, alternative actions, FGCs and Te Pae Oranga Rangatahi were grouped together under one proceeding type – ‘youth justice intervention’.
94 Alternative action is a form of diversion led by a NZ Police Youth Aid Officer that addresses the offending without criminal proceedings. Examples of alternative actions are writing an apology letter or helping remove graffiti.
95 Police proceedings data records the first proceeding response to tamariki and rangatahi offending. It is possible that this initial response could progress to a different response – for example, a referral to a youth justice FGC for a rangatahi could turn into a decision to prosecute at a later date and prosecution would not be reflected in the method of proceedings data for this rangatahi.
96 Office of the Auditor-General. (2025, July 14). Our intentions: Looking at how well the New Zealand Police maximise the effectiveness of “alternative actions”. oag.parliament.nz/media/2025/nz-police
97 At the time of writing this report, the amendments to the Oranga Tamariki Act that would introduce a new military-style academy custodial order, contained in the Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill, had not been made.
98 Oranga Tamariki. (2025). Fast Track: Reoffending analysis. orangatamariki.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/About-us/Research/Latest-research/Fast-Track-reoffending-analysis/Fast-Track-Reoffending-Analysis.pdf
99 We heard that Fast Track was not available in Tauranga but does operate out of Rotorua.
100 See footnote 30.
101 A huiClosehui
Meeting, gatheringView the full glossary ā-whānau is a less formal whānau meeting, which can be used in multiple instances, including as a precursor to the FGC. While hui ā-whānau are facilitated using an ao Māori approach, they lack the statutory responsibilities of the FGC that make the chief executive of Oranga Tamariki accountable.
102 See footnote 1.
103 The High and Complex Needs Unit was established by Cabinet in 2002 to support whānau (including kin and non-kin caregivers) with tamariki and rangatahi who have HCN. It is now within Oranga Tamariki and manages funding allocated for HCN. Funding for HCN is from the wider funding provided to Oranga Tamariki through the multi-category appropriation ‘Investing in Children and Young People MCA’.
104 Either a referral to Oranga Tamariki for a youth justice FGC or prosecution through the Youth Court.
105 Moerewa and Whangārei/Kaipara in Northland, Auckland City, Manukau in Counties Manukau, Hamilton/Huntly in Waikato, Tauranga and Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty, Napier/Hastings, Wellington/Hutt Valley and Porirua in Wellington, Nelson/Blenheim in Tasman and Christchurch in Canterbury.
106 As reflected in education outcomes indicators for tamariki and rangatahi Māori aged 0–17 (rangatahi Māori involved with Oranga Tamariki had lower attendance at secondary school) outlined in this report.
107 We recognise that some whānau are not – and do not wish to be – in contact with their iwiCloseiwi
TribeView the full glossary and that a choice of service provider should be available wherever possible.
108 Independent Children’s Monitor. (2019). Engagement hui with Māori on the independent oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system. aroturuki.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Documents/What-the-Monitors-doing/report-engagement-hui-2019.pdf
109 See (p. 19) of reference at footnote 87. “That’s the difference between programmes and iwi. They’re short-term, iwi is for life.”
110 NISS refers to rangatahi (young people) as taitamariki.
111 This means that the Youth Court has made an order under section 238(1)(d) of the Oranga Tamariki Act that the young person be detained in the custody of the chief executive of Oranga Tamariki while awaiting further Youth Court hearing(s) on alleged or admitted offending.
112 It is also possible for the young person to have been remanded into the custody of NISS under section 238(1)(c) of the Oranga Tamariki Act, but this is less common.
113 The number of taitamariki who can be supported depends on whether there are mātua atawhai (caregivers) available.
114 Mahuru was launched on 1 September 2018. Data used in this report dates back to November 2019 due to changes in reporting software.
115 Seventeen taitamariki were referred in 2024/25 but two did not start.
116 Mahuru kaimahi use the term ‘teina’ to refer to taitamariki who participate in the programme. Teina is a word used to describe a younger sibling of the same gender.
117 Te Kona is a digital, business and learning hub located in Kaikohe.
118 Oranga Tamariki. (2023, December). Evaluation of the Porirua Hapori pilot.
119 From June 2025 to January 2026, the Porirua site had a renotification rate of 33 percent, with the next lowest rate in the region being recorded at 37 percent (other sites in the region have renotification rates at 40 percent or above). Renotification data is not routinely available across Oranga Tamariki and so is unavailable for the reporting period.
120 From June 2025 to January 2026, the Porirua site had an increase of reports of concern at 11 percent compared to the same period in the previous year. This compares to other sites in the region having increases of 30 percent or above.
121 See footnote 30.
122 Enabling Communities is an Oranga Tamariki initiative to better support tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau. Oranga Tamariki is working with iwi, Māori and communities to develop prototypes to shift decision making and resources to communities.
123 Outside of office hours, calls are connected back to the National Contact Centre. Where the National Contact Centre takes a call and considers that an immediate response is not required, it refers it back to Te Reo Karanga to respond on the next working day.
124 Te Pūkāea kaimahi have requested comprehensive data from Oranga Tamariki and, at the same time, are in the process of backdating records held by their officers in order to ensure their data collection is as robust and comprehensive as possible.
125 Gender was unknown for the remainder.
126 Ages were unknown for nine tamariki/rangatahi (3%).
127 The remaining 10 percent were either already receiving services and supports from community providers or were not yet recorded at the point of data collection.
128 Section 7 of the Oranga Tamariki Act.
129 We visited Hawke’s Bay and East Coast in 2025/26 and therefore hope to speak with Ngāti Kahungunu again for next year’s report.
130 Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau Hauora leads in the housing and Ministry of Social Development space, Te Pou Oranga o Whakatōhea leads on mental health and Tūhoe Hauora leads on health.
131 Mātua Whangai Services had grown from a level 1 care and family support service to an iwi provider of services in a short space of time, necessitating a coming together of the policy arm (formerly known as Te Tōhanga Ora Mo Ngāti Awa) with the social services arm provided by the Rūnanga.
132 All reports of concern that come through Te Pūkāea are either referred to Oranga Tamariki or allocated to whānau navigators, who can refer to other providers. This allows tamariki, rangatahi and whānau to access support and have their needs addressed holistically.
133 sia.govt.nz/social-investment-fund/pathway-one-new-investment/pathway-one-selected-initiatives
134 tetohuoteora.org.nz/projects/kawarehe-trust-development