Tāne Whakapiripiri – Care Support Model

The Tāne Whakapiripiri Care Support Model (CSM) is a two-year partnership between Oranga Tamariki, Barnardos NZ and Key Assets Foundation.

In 2018, Oranga Tamariki in Canterbury identified a group of young people in its care who had a very high level of need and a history of multiple failed placements.

Regional leadership determined that none of the placement options available in the region were a good fit with the group’s needs and were unlikely to have better outcomes than the placements already attempted.

Oranga Tamariki invited Barnardos and Key Assets, two non-government organisations providing services for young people, to participate in a co-design workshop. The resulting model was a specialist group home for up to three tamariki at a time. The aim was to stabilise tamariki and prepare them for a permanent placement, using support characterised by a therapeutic and trauma-informed approach.

Key findings of the model include:

• All stakeholders were very supportive of the co-design process used to develop the model. There was consensus that the model was a good fit for the need of the targeted tamariki in Canterbury and that the need remains.
• The model has evolved significantly. Much of the adaptation has been driven by the shift in focus to tamariki with a pathway to returning to whānau, which has become part of the selection process.
• The Oversight Committee has been a strength of the model, bringing together stakeholders from all partners in governance and management.
• Iwi were invited in to be a key part of the co-design process which set the foundation for continuing engagement.
• The selection process has brought tamariki fitting the target group to Tāne Whakapiripiri and the need to allow time for a planned introduction to the house has been recognised by all stakeholders.