We check that organisations supporting and working with and , and their and families, are meeting their needs, delivering services effectively, and improving outcomes.
We do this by:
- Monitoring compliance with the Oranga Tamariki Act and associated standards and regulations, including the National Care Standards Regulations.
- Monitoring system performance using an outcomes approach for tamariki and rangatahi who are in care, or at risk of coming into care.
- Looking at the quality of practice, and identifying areas for improvement, across the wider oranga tamariki system under the Oversight of the Oranga Tamariki System Act.
Our is not limited to measuring compliance by reviewing information from agencies. The stories and lived experiences of tamariki and rangatahi, their whānau, caregivers and their community are at the centre of our monitoring approach.
Effective and meaningful monitoring requires a mix of approaches and the use of quantitative (numbers) data and qualitative (experiences) information.
We hear the stories of and who are receiving, or have previously received, services or support through the oranga tamariki system, and their . Where tamariki are in care, we also speak with their caregivers.
We speak to the people who make up their communities, this includes , , social service providers and non-government organisations.
Information from kaimahi of Oranga Tamariki, Open Home Foundation and Barnardos (the three agencies with custody of tamariki), and other government organisations, such as Police, health and education, also helps us develop a holistic picture of the experiences of tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau. Information from kaimahi of organisations that provide services under the Oranga Tamariki Act help us understand what parts of the system are working well, and what isn't going so well.
We operate independently and have our own systems to ensure all information collected is kept secure.
Before we visit, we will contact you to confirm the date and time we are meeting and organise any other requirements. You can also let us know if you have further questions or information.
Our questions are focused on understanding what strengthens good practice and what might get in the way of providing the best support for and .
While the specific areas of what we talk about will depend on the group, our general focus will be on:
- how things work at the frontline; for example, how policies and new practice tools are implemented
- understanding what is happening to improve outcomes for tamariki Māori and any developments in practice regarding how best to meet the needs of tamariki
- outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi, alongside their , who receive services or support through the oranga tamariki system (through both the care and protection and youth justice pathways).
- how practice has developed to align with the regulations, leading to improved outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi
- understanding and receiving information about your agency’s self-assurance processes and the results of your internal monitoring procedures.
Our visits will take anywhere between an hour and a full day, depending on the nature of our visit and how many people we speak with. We value your time and do our best to be flexible within the days we have in your community.
After we’ve visited your community, we provide a report summarising the insights we have gathered. We call these ‘sharing back’ reports and they are an important part of our . These is just for people in your community.
We prepare up to four share back reports:
- and (if we have more than 10 voices to ensure information is not identifiable)
- and caregivers (if we have more than 10 voices to ensure information is not identifiable)
- the community (including all non-monitored organisations we meet with)
- monitored organsations (such as Oranga Tamariki).
We hope these reports are used to support action at a local level. We’ll also refer to the sharing back reports when we come back to your community to see what changes have been made (we visit every three years).
Information we gather from each community we visit informs our nationwide reports. These reports are provided to Ministers, including the Minister for Children, tabled in Parliament and published on our website. Find out more about our reports.
While the knowledge you share will inform our monitoring work and reporting, all information will be de-personalised and confidential. The only time we will disclose information is if there is concern that a person is at risk of harm to themselves or others. If this is the case, we will only disclose the minimum amount of information necessary to address the risk.
Our collection, storage and use of information is governed by the Privacy Act 2020, our information rules and the Relationship Agreements we have with the agencies we monitor. All information collected is stored securely in a database. Access is limited to a small number of our key staff.