We check that agencies who have custody of and are providing them with the care they need. We also check tamariki and rangatahi are involved in decisions about them and are aware of their rights, including their right to make a complaint.
In other words, we monitor the extent and quality of compliance with the Oranga Tamariki National Care Standards Regulations (2018).
Our is not limited to measuring compliance by reviewing information from agencies. The stories and lived experiences of tamariki and rangatahi, their , caregivers and their community are at the centre of our monitoring approach.
Whakawhanaungatanga (building relationships) is important to us. We’ll be reaching out and connecting with you before we visit. This will be an opportunity for you to let us know about anything we should prepare for, such as a mihi whakatau and the relevant local or (protocols) we need to know.
Closer to the time of our visit, we will contact your site to reconfirm our visit arrangements and organise meeting requirements. You can also let us know if you have further questions or information.
To best understand the experiences of and in care, we want to hear from kaimahi (staff) involved in delivering care, protection and support services.
This means we’ll be visiting your site to hear about your with tamariki and rangatahi. It’s important that we hear from those of you working with tamariki and rangatahi, and those in supporting and/or supervisory roles.
Our questions are focused on trying to understand what strengthens good practice and what might get in the way of providing the best support for tamariki and rangatahi.
While the specific areas of what we talk about will vary, 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
- 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.
Most of our (conversations) will be in groups, although some will be one-to-one. We will take notes of these conversations.
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.
Your honest views and experiences are crucial to helping us ensure that and in care are safe, supported and thriving. We will work to provide an environment that makes it easy for you to share your views and experiences with us.
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 will be stored securely in a database that is not visible to the Ministry of Social Development or Oranga Tamariki. Access will be limited to a small number of the Monitor’s key staff.
We look forward to spending time with you and hearing about your experiences. Collectively, we can work together to support and in care to live their best lives.