Goal Plan for te tamaiti or rangatahi

We develop and implement the plan to ensure that:

• tamariki and rangatahi have a safe, stable and loving home from the earliest opportunity
• the assessed needs of te tamaiti or rangatahi are met
• tamariki and rangatahi get the support and opportunities they need to establish, maintain and strengthen their connections with their family, whānau, hapū, iwi and family group and in particular their siblings
• mana tamaiti (tamariki), whakapapa and the practice of whanaungatanga are recognised and supported
• culturally appropriate and effective supports and services are in place to:
  • promote their best interests
  • advance their wellbeing and long-term positive outcomes, including health, educational, social and economic outcomes
  • address their needs, and
  • provide for their participation in decision-making that affects them.

Our written plan:

• helps ensure caregivers and kaimahi in residences and homes providing care for te tamaiti or rangatahi and others involved with te tamaiti or rangatahi have the information they need to carry out their roles and responsibilities
• provides detail on how we will achieve goals from court and family group conference plans that are specific to the care of te tamaiti or rangatahi and the support required to meet their needs
• provides detail on how we will respond to the assessed needs and circumstances of te tamaiti or rangatahi
• provides detail on how we will support te tamaiti or rangatahi to establish, maintain and strengthen their connections with their family, whānau, hapū, iwi and family group and in particular their siblings
• creates a record of planning information about and for te tamaiti or rangatahi.

Policy: Support for tamariki and rangatahi in care or custody

Guidance: Te Aronga

Supplementary plans

When specific needs and support for te tamaiti or rangatahi are captured in a supplementary plan, that plan must be referenced and linked to their Goal Plan.

Such plans can include:

• safety plan
• detailed day-to-day plan for managing complex behavioural distress
• plans made to support the care of te tamaiti or rangatahi in a residence or home
• high and complex needs plan
• individual education plan
• gateway interagency services agreement.

There is no need to duplicate these plans, but we must:

• record how these plans are meeting particular needs
• link these plans to the Goal Plan
• check supplementary plans are working to meet the needs they seek to address when implementing and reviewing the Goal Plan.

Policy: Caregiver support

Guidance: Caregiver support plan

Policy: Working with tamariki and rangatahi in residences

Policy: Working with tamariki and rangatahi in remand homes

Policy: Working with tamariki and rangatahi in supervised group homes

The plan must be started by the key social worker as soon as a decision is made to seek a custody order or enter into a care agreement. It must be completed as soon as practicable after te tamaiti or rangatahi enters care.

The plan must be approved by the supervisor before information from the plan is shared.

The key social worker must work collaboratively with others to develop, review and update the plan.

Working with others to develop the Goal Plan

Reviewing the Goal Plan

Updating the Goal Plan

An approved Goal Plan that reflects the requirements for living in a residence or home must be in place within 7 days of their admission to the residence or home.

The manager of the residence or home has a responsibility to confirm an appropriate Goal Plan is in place within the 7-day timeframe. If this requirement is not met, the manager of the residence or home will discuss it with the key social worker and escalate to their supervisor or the site manager as required.

The key social worker is responsible for monitoring the ongoing oranga and safety of te tamaiti or rangatahi and ensuring needs assessments and the plan are up to date and on track.

The key social worker must ensure regular contact is maintained with:

• te tamaiti or rangatahi
• the caregiver or kaimahi in a residence or home providing care for te tamaiti or rangatahi
• whānau or family
• people in their hapū, iwi and family group considered important to or for te tamaiti or rangatahi
• professionals who provide an ongoing service for te tamaiti or rangatahi
• anyone who has a role in supporting or implementing the plan
• others, including other kaimahi working with te tamaiti or rangatahi, who can provide relevant information.

We provide them with information on progress of the plan relevant to them and take into account information provided by them.

Policy: Support for tamariki and rangatahi in care or custody

We must consider the plan with te tamaiti or rangatahi as part of each visit or engagement to share with them the progress of their plan and to help us understand whether the plan needs reviewing and updating.

We must ensure that te tamaiti or rangatahi is aware that relevant information being included in their plan will be shared with important members of their family, whānau, hapū, iwi or family group, their caregivers and kaimahi in residences and homes providing care for te tamaiti or rangatahi, and other relevant people.

Policy: Supporting the participation of tamariki and rangatahi

Policy: Visiting and engaging with tamariki and rangatahi in care

Practice standard: See and engage tamariki

Ensuring te tamaiti or rangatahi understands their Goal Plan

We must ensure that te tamaiti and rangatahi is supported to understand their plan in a way that is suitable for their age, development, language and any disabilities they may have.

Tamariki and rangatahi being cared for in a residence must have their Goal Plan explained to them at a minimum of monthly or any other time they request this.

Tamariki and rangatahi must be given a copy of their Goal Plan and we must ensure they have a safe place to keep it.

The Tamariki and Rangatahi Goal Plan is available to record the plan in a form that is suitable for their age, development, language and any disabilities they may have. It supports te tamaiti or rangatahi to understand their plan and how the people involved in their plan will support their needs, goals, wishes and aspirations.

The Tamariki and Rangatahi Goal Plan does not replace the Goal Plan – it captures the content of their Goal Plan in a manner that helps them understand its content.
Tamariki and Rangatahi Goal Plan (PDF 7.7 MB)

We must take into account the views of:

• whānau or family
• the people in their hapū, iwi or family group and others who are considered important to or for te tamaiti or rangatahi 
• caregivers or kaimahi providing care in a residence or home – current and future (if known)
• people who are expected to have a role in the plan
• others who have important relationships or roles with te tamaiti or rangatahi, as appropriate.

Practice standard: See and engage whānau, wider family, caregivers and when appropriate victims of offending by tamariki

Policy: Assessment

Policy: Support for tamariki in care or custody

Policy: Visiting and engaging with tamariki in care

Guidance: Determining the frequency of visits to tamariki and rangatahi in care

Guidance: Caregiver support plan

When the plan is reviewed and updated, we must ensure the updated information is shared as relevant, appropriate and necessary.

The information in a plan for te tamaiti or rangatahi must be given to te tamaiti or rangatahi in a form that is appropriate, taking into account their age, development, language and any disability.

Te tamaiti or rangatahi must be consulted before we disclose information from their plan, wherever practicable and appropriate, and their views about this must be taken into account.

We must share information in the plan with the important members of the family, whānau, hapū, iwi and family group of te tamaiti or rangatahi in a manner and to the extent appropriate.

We must ensure information in the plan that is relevant to the care of te tamaiti or rangatahi is shared with their caregiver or the manager of the residence or home they are living in. Whenever possible, this must be done before the care arrangement begins, or as soon as practicable after.

The manager of the residence or home must ensure that information from the plan relevant to the care of te tamaiti or rangatahi is shared with all kaimahi working day to day with te tamaiti or rangatahi, including care teams and youth workers.

We must share relevant information in the plan with those who need it to undertake their agreed responsibilities, such as teachers, advocates or other professionals.

In deciding what information to share, we must consider:

• the views, privacy and safety of te tamaiti or rangatahi and others mentioned in the plan
• restrictions of information disclosure agreed to at a family group conference or imposed by a court
• te tamaiti or rangatahi in the context of their whānau or family and we must recognise:
  • the primary responsibility of the family, whānau, hapū, iwi and family group to care for and nurture the oranga and development of te tamaiti or rangatahi
  • the right of the family, whānau, hapū, iwi and family group to participate in decisions and have their views taken into account
  • the sense of belonging and whakapapa of te tamaiti or rangatahi and the whanaungatanga responsibilities of their family, whānau, hapū, iwi and family group
  • the effect on the relationship of te tamaiti or rangatahi with their family, whānau, hapū, iwi and family group and the need to strengthen and maintain these connections and their whakapapa links.

When we share information from the plan, we must take into account any communication barriers such as language or disability and share information in a way that takes account of these and is easily understood.

Guidance: Confidentiality and the family group conference

Policy: Supporting the participation of tamariki and rangatahi

Policy: Sharing information

Guidance: Sharing information about tamariki and rangatahi

Policy: Transitions within care

The plan must be reviewed no later than 6 weeks after te tamaiti or rangatahi enters care to ensure all needs assessments are up to date and all aspects of the plan have relevant actions identified.

The entire plan must be reviewed at a minimum of every 6 months.

We can review any aspect of the plan at any time, but we must review the plan when we become aware that:

• te tamaiti or rangatahi is not being adequately protected or supported, or
• the needs or circumstances for te tamaiti or rangatahi have changed, or
• there are unmet needs.

Our review must be informed by:

• any new or updated needs assessments
• information from te tamaiti or rangatahi
• relevant information from:
  • their caregiver
  • their whānau or family
  • the people in their hapū, iwi or family group and others who are considered important to or for te tamaiti or rangatahi
  • professionals who provide an ongoing service for te tamaiti or rangatahi
  • anyone else who has a role to play in implementing the plan
  • others, including other kaimahi working with te tamaiti or rangatahi, who can provide relevant information.

Policy: Support for tamariki and rangatahi in care or custody

Policy: Assessment

Guidance: Te Aronga

Policy: Visiting and engaging with tamariki and rangatahi in care

We complete an assessment report that articulates our built understanding and analysis of the safety, needs and circumstances of te tamaiti or rangatahi and how we will respond to them. If the change in circumstances is significant (such as a proposed return home), it may also be necessary to reconvene the family group conference or review the court plan.

Policy: Assessment

We must work with te tamaiti or rangatahi and other relevant people to update the plan. Consider the involvement of those who participated in developing the plan and those who have a role in implementing the plan:

• whānau or family
• the people in their hapū, iwi or family group and others who are considered important to or for te tamaiti or rangatahi
• caregivers or kaimahi providing care in a residence or home – current and future (if known)
• people who are expected to have a role in the plan
• others who have important relationships or roles with te tamaiti or rangatahi, as appropriate. 

The updated version of the plan must meet all the content requirements set out in this policy and must be consistent with the goals and objectives of the family group conference or court plan.

Practice standard: See and engage whānau, wider family, caregivers and when appropriate victims of offending by tamariki

Practice standard: Work closely in partnership with others