Entries into Care

Care refers to those in the custody of Oranga Tamariki with the majority of tamariki in the day-to-day care of whānau. 

This analysis looks at the numbers of entries to care and who is affected by changes in entries to care. Previous work had shown a steady decrease in entries to care since F2016 (financial year), though this decrease has tapered off in F2021 and F2022.

Specifically, it asks:

• which groups of tamariki are most represented in the decrease? Which ages and ethnicities? Where do these children live?
• does the decrease in entries coincide with key events? (such as the formation of Oranga Tamariki in 2017, the reviews of Oranga Tamariki from 2019 onwards and the introduction of section 7AA legislation)
• how has practice changed over the last 3 years?
• what is occurring at a local level?
• has the number of carers/tamariki receiving the Unsupported Child’s Benefit (UCB) been increasing as entries to care have been decreasing?
• have entries to care fallen because the wellbeing of tamariki and their whānau increased?

The number of entries to care has fallen markedly the past several years. The proportion of entries for tamariki Māori peaked in 2017, and has remained relatively stable since F2020. The largest decrease was for unborn and newborn pēpi, though this decrease has also tapered off since F2020. The use of section 78 has dropped dramatically in the past 5 years.

There have been numerous changes to Oranga Tamariki practice since 2017. These include investment in early support services, strengthening core social work practice, introducing and implementing the National Care Standards, and a framework for cultural competency. There has also been a focus on the design and implementation of prototypes and initiatives to support early engagement and assessment, development of intensive response services, and designing and ensuring greater support is provided to whānau. We also have a focus on Strategic Partnerships with iwi and how we work with providers.

Reports of concern decreased in F2022, though this decrease is much more pronounced than the decrease in entries to care. COVID-19 has reduced the rates of reporting from Education and Health, though changes in the National Call Centre practice have also impacted renotification rates.

We cannot directly attribute the decrease in the number of tamariki entering care to any one cause. The effect is a cumulation of a number of factors working together. Analysis using the Oranga Tamariki Children’s Wellbeing Model indicates that there has not been a significant shift in the health of tamariki and development in the last year which may have explained the decrease.