Becoming a care partner

A care partner is an organisation that provides care for tamariki and rangatahi who are in care under the Oranga Tamariki Act. The National Care Standards apply.

There are 4 phases in the process to becoming a care partner:

• Preparation.
• Care partner readiness.
• Confirmation of partner.
• Transition into the Quality Assurance cycle.

The following principles underpin the process of becoming a care partner:

• tamariki Māori should be with whānau, hapū and iwi wherever possible.
• Before approving new care partners, we need to consider what is already provided in the local area and talk with key stakeholders.
• We will provide resources and support for new care partners to provide care for tamariki.
• We work collectively and in partnership to co-design services and improve the experiences and outcomes of tamariki in care.
• Together we ensure our statutory responsibilities to assess the needs of the tamaiti and the right plans are in place for them.

The process to become a care partner requires both accreditation with Te Kāhui Kāhu and approval by Oranga Tamariki under section 396 of the Oranga Tamariki Act.  

For more information about Te Kāhui Kāhu accreditation of social services, visit their website.

If your organisation is considering becoming a care partner, get in touch with your local Māori, Partnerships and Communities contact and the Māori, Partnerships and Communities National Quality Hub: MPCQuality@ot.govt.nz

For more information about the Quality Assurance function and cycle, visit the Quality Assurance page on our website.