Assessment report

This section records key demographics. It identifies who the report is about and relationships that are important to them.

Check prepopulated information for each tamaiti or rangatahi for accuracy, update the demographic tab if required, and gather any information that is not complete. Enter the non-populated information including the Rā / Date field where we enter the dates of engagements with tamariki, rangatahi, whānau or family.

What is the purpose of this report?

Set out why this report is being written now. For example:

• 'This report is the social work assessment that explains why a family group conference is required and it is also the referral for family group conference.'
• 'This report is the social work assessment for [rangatahi] with offending behaviour and their whānau, which supports the plan that reduces the likelihood of offending or reoffending.'
• 'This report is the social work assessment that includes a current needs assessment to inform the All About Me plan for [te tamaiti] who is currently in care.'
• 'This report is the social work assessment following a report of concern for te tamaiti or rangatahi in care.'

The following sections relate back to the purpose of the assessment report.

Why is Oranga Tamariki currently involved?

Briefly explain why Oranga Tamariki is currently involved. This may include any current legal status and any risk statements and safety goals that have been developed.

Who has been involved in this assessment?

List all people we have engaged with to build and deepen our understanding. Include:

• their relationship with te tamaiti or rangatahi
• their role alongside whānau or family
• the hāpori or organisation they represent.

Ensure that these participants are correctly recorded in CYRAS.

Summarise the current situation (for example, regarding harm or offending behaviour) or other circumstances that have prompted this report (for example, a family group conference or court plan review, or unexpected change in care arrangement).

If this is the first assessment for te tamaiti or rangatahi and their whānau or family, we include:

• the referral or concerns reported
• the context in which they have occurred
• how they have been raised.

If this assessment relates to tamariki or rangatahi in our care or custody (including residential and community placements), we outline:

• the reasons why they remain in care
• any incidences of harm occurring in care
• their care goal.

In this section, we explain what we know so far from working with tamariki, rangatahi, whānau or family and others. Consider the context of the report to include relevant information.

We provide background about what we have learnt from te tamaiti or rangatahi and their whānau or family, who they are, whānau and cultural norms, their values and how their lived experiences have influenced and shaped their oranga.

We write with an awareness of how tamariki, rangatahi, whānau or family and caregiving whānau will see themselves reflected in this report. Is it tika? Is it factual? Is it clear? Has the mana of their narrative been respected?

We consider: 

• the background and individual needs, including disability, of each tamaiti or rangatahi and sibling group
• the things that make up their identity, including their gender identity and sexuality, pronouns and preferred name
• the history and context in which harm or offending behaviour has occurred
• the ebbs and flows of whānau or family oranga over time
• migration stories
• any patterns or cumulative impacts of harm or offending behaviour
• any intergenerational and trauma history and the impact of this on the current generation – this includes the experiences of state interventions and actions
• the offending behaviour of siblings, whānau and families and the impact of this on victims and communities.

In this section, we include reports we have received and information we have gathered and from whom, and what this tells us about te tamaiti or rangatahi and whānau, family, caregivers or victims and their situation. 

We need to explain:

• what we learned from whom and how this has helped build understanding of the current situation – include details from tamariki, rangatahi, whānau or family, caregiving whānau and others, phone conversations, home visits, professionals’ hui, hui ā-whānau and other interactions, CYRAS history 
• the ways we have built and deepened our understanding with tamariki and rangatahi and included them in planning and decision-making
• which models, tools and resources we used, and the meaning we derived from them
• any relevant policy requirements or practice guidance specific to our work (for example, static and dynamic risk factors, return home requirements, recording requirements when we have made a finding of abuse or neglect)
• the application of our practice standards in our work with tamariki, rangatahi, whānau or family, caregiving whānau and others
• how we are addressing the care regulations for the needs assessment for tamariki and rangatahi in care, and caregiver assessment and support needs – specifically, this should include:
  • general support
  • support to promote important connections
  • support to promote culture, belonging and identity
  • support to promote play, recreation and community connection
  • support to address health needs
  • support to address education needs
  • support to raise complaints and provide feedback
  • support to record important life events and care for belongings of significance
  • support for transitions between care arrangements.

Practice standards

Care standards

Static and dynamic risk factors

Oranga-framed practice prompts

This section is where we make sense of the information outlined above.

Our analysis of the information and knowledge gathered supports us to clearly articulate our social work reasoning and the conclusions we have drawn.

When completing our analysis, we consider:

• how practices and tikanga of whānau or family can contribute to changes needed in the situation
• how the unique needs of each tamaiti or rangatahi are (or are not) being met by their whānau or family or caregiving whānau
• the changes we have noticed, and that whānau or family describe, both recently and over time
• how harm, risk of harm, and safety have changed over time – what still needs to change and how this can be supported
• how the strengths, capacity and potential of the whānau, family or caregiving whānau can be harnessed in the pursuit of oranga.

For youth justice, also consider:

• the impacts of offending behaviours of tamariki, rangatahi and whānau or family, including understanding harm and risk of harm to te tamaiti or rangatahi
• how tamariki and rangatahi and whānau or family understand the impact for victims
• the underlying reasons for the offending behaviours and how this informs plans or sentencing recommendations
• what we understand about the views of the whānau or family and responses to harm or risk of harm to te tamaiti or rangatahi, and to any offending behaviours
• how the knowledge of our community partners, victims and other professional disciplines contributes to our understanding
• the need to balance wellbeing with victims’ interests, accountability and public safety.

Youth justice – links

Clearly articulate findings, recommendations and rationale followed by the outcome of our assessment mahi and the pathway forward.

We need to show clear rationale to justify our findings, decisions and recommendations. For example:

• for child and family assessments or investigations, confirm any findings of abuse aligned with current policy and connected to the reason for our current involvement
• for assessing the needs of tamariki and rangatahi in care, identify the needs that require further support and planning
• for tamariki with offending behaviours, state how offending needs should be met and how any underlying care or protection issues should be addressed
• for youth justice assessments, articulate the recommended level and intensity of intervention required to meet the offending needs and how any underlying care or protection issues or oranga needs should be addressed.

We articulate the outcome of our assessment and what we, whānau or family and caregiving whānau and others hope to achieve and what needs to happen next. 

Include the views of tamariki, rangatahi, whānau, family, caregiving whānau and others about the assessment outcome, including where there is disagreement about the assessment and outcome. 

This section should capture the requirements of a family group conference referral if that is the outcome pathway.

If Family Court or Youth Court and/or custody order applications have been made, we should state the outcome of those applications in this section. 

Articulation of our built understanding shows our decision-making and planning for the short and long term to support sustained oranga.