Care and protection resource panel

Upcoming changes for this guidance

This content will be strengthened so it more completely reflects our commitment to practice framed by te Tiriti o Waitangi, based on a mana-enhancing paradigm for practice, and drawing from ​Te Ao Māori principles of oranga to support mana tamaiti, whakapapa and whanaungatanga. We each need to consider how we can apply these principles to our practice when reading this guidance. The following resources provide support:
Practice for working effectively with Māori
Our practice approach

What are care and protection resource panels

Care and protection resource panels are statutory bodies under the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989. They're funded by Oranga Tamariki.

Care and protection resource panels — Oranga Tamariki Act 1989

Each site has a care and protection resource panel to consult.

The panels have a broad community focus and expertise in specialist areas. They:

• provide advice to social workers, coordinators and the Police about the local community and what's available there
• help us provide coordinated services to whānau or family.

Care and protection resource panel handbook (PDF 1 MB)

Who sits on the panels

The panels are made up of people from the local community who have professional, community and cultural knowledge and experience, including:

• local iwi or marae representatives
• mana whenua pakeke or kaumātua 
• Māori lay advocates
• education workers, such as teachers or school guidance counsellors
• health workers, such as doctors, plunket nurses or mental health workers
• social services workers, such as people working in family violence, intervention workers or victim support workers
• people working in iwi social services and Māori social service organisations, like the Māori Women’s Welfare League and the Māori Council
• cultural advisors
• people working in youth services, such as youth aid workers
• Family Court professionals, such as lawyers
• iwi liaison officers from NZ Police.

Membership is reviewed every 2 years.

How we work with them

Site managers have the delegated responsibility of establishing and maintaining the care and protection resource panel.

A senior Oranga Tamariki person should act as a liaison to maintain relationships and processes.

Social workers are required to consult with the care and protection resource panel as soon as practicable after starting an investigation or child and family assessment. Social workers can also consult with the panel on other cases if the social worker thinks it will be helpful.

When social workers consult with the panel:

• think about how we can use the panel members' specialised knowledge
• ask specific questions that will help us assess the safety and wellbeing of te tamaiti or rangatahii we're working with
• take along any information that will help them provide us with the right advice, such as:
  • the child and family consult
  • the safety and risk screen
  • the Three Houses engagement tool (where these have been completed).

Care and protection coordinators are required to consult with the panel before convening a family group conference.

Preparing for the care and protection family group conference

Under the Privacy Act 2020 and the Official Information Act 1982, information discussed in a panel consultation is private and confidential to the panel members and other people directly involved.

Keep a record of the consultation

We keep a record of:

• the consultation and any advice given
• what action we took as a result of the advice provided
• the reasons why we didn't follow the panel’s advice, if appropriate.