Residential Care Regulations and the National Care Standards

How the Residential Care Regulations and the National Care Standards and work together

The Residential Care Regulations and the National Care Standards work together but serve different functions to guide care for tamariki and rangatahi.

• The Residential Care Regulations outline what residence-based services need to do to provide a high standard of professional care and keep tamariki and rangatahi safe.
• The National Care Standards sit alongside them and describe in detail how care should look and feel for tamariki and rangatahi – focusing on building a deep understanding of their needs and ensuring these are met.

Oranga Tamariki (Residential Care) Regulations 1996

Oranga Tamariki (National Care Standards and Related Matters) Regulations 2018

Both the Residential Care Regulations (regulation 3) and the National Care Standards require carefully planned and responsive care for tamariki and rangatahi. Regulation 3(2) of the Residential Care Regulations requires every tamaiti or rangatahi in a residence (other than one who is likely to be in the residence for less than 5 days) to have a care plan.

We use the Goal Plan as the primary plan for te tamaiti or rangatahi, whatever care arrangement they are living in. Our Goal Plan policy ensures that the Goal Plan meets the requirements of the Residential Care Regulations and the National Care Standards.

Policy: Goal Plan for te tamaiti or rangatahi

Residence and key social worker working together

The Goal Plan policy states that an approved Goal Plan that reflects the requirements for living in a residence must be in place within 7 days of their admission to the residence.

The initial approved Goal Plan may not be complete, with only minimal known information and few goals. The key social worker (or agreed lead where there are 2 key social workers) must work collaboratively with others to develop the Goal Plan until it is complete.

What this looks like in practice

Residence kaimahi:

• talk with te tamaiti or rangatahi to deepen their understanding of their needs
• talk with te tamaiti or rangatahi about objectives, responsibilities and personal objectives while they're in residential care
• work with the key social worker to develop goals that are required to complete the plan
• build on the information in Te Aronga, including the Residence and Homes section.

The key social worker:

• ensures the Goal Plan is completed and approved and relevant parts are shared with the residence within 7 days of the admission of te tamaiti or rangatahi to the residence
• engages with residence kaimahi to deepen their understanding of the needs, objectives and responsibilities for te tamaiti or rangatahi while in residence, and how these can be reflected in the Goal Plan
• remains engaged with residence kaimahi, te tamaiti or rangatahi and others important to them or who have a role in their plan after they enter the residence to deepen our understanding of their assessed needs
• ensure that their Goal Plan is reviewed and updated as required.

How the Goal Plan supports care consistent with regulation 3

We use the Goal Plan to meet the planning requirements of the Residential Care Regulations.

The intent of regulation 3 of the Residential Care Regulations is to ensure that all tamariki and rangatahi living in a residence are provided with a high standard of professional care.

Regulation 3 places responsibility on the manager of a residence to ensure that each tamaiti or rangatahi has a plan that is developed in consultation with them.

To comply with the care plan requirements of regulation 3, the Goal Plan needs to:

• be developed in partnership with te tamaiti or rangatahi and where practicable the parent or guardian who would usually have care of them
• specify the objectives sought to be achieved for te tamaiti or rangatahi while in the residence
• state the responsibilities and personal objectives of te tamaiti or rangatahi
• include information about arrangements to maintain connections with family, whānau, hapū, iwi, marae or family group
• include details of the services, assistance and programmes to be provided for te tamaiti or rangatahi
• contain other matters relating to their education, employment, recreation and overall wellbeing as appropriate.

How the Goal Plan supports other Residential Care Regulations

As well as regulation 3, the Goal Plan and Te Aronga support residences to meet other Residential Care Regulations.

Oranga Tamariki (Residential Care) Regulations 1996 | New Zealand Legislation