Policy
Allocation of key social workers, co-social workers and support roles
Oranga Tamariki is committed to ensuring tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau or family receive safe, consistent and culturally responsive services enabled through the appropriate allocation of key social workers, co-social workers and support roles.Guiding principles
Allocation decisions will:
- put the oranga, including safety, and best interests of tamariki and rangatahi first
- support enduring and purposeful relationships with tamariki, rangatahi and whānau or family
- promote continuity and stability in engagement, planning and decision-making
- respect and respond to identity, culture, whakapapa, whanaungatanga and communication needs
- match the needs and complexity of each situation with the capability, capacity, experience and support needs of kaimahi.
Supporting practice
Our practice is delivered through our practice framework, our practice models Te Toka Tūmoana and Va'aifetū, our practice standards, and our tools and resources.
Overview
This policy outlines:
- allocation requirements across cases and phases
- allocation responsibilities, roles and accountabilities for supervisors, key social workers, co-social workers and support roles
- recording and system requirements for allocations.
When this policy applies
This policy applies:
- to all Oranga Tamariki supervisors involved in the allocation of key social workers, co-social workers and support roles
- to all Oranga Tamariki kaimahi who are allocated key social worker, co-social worker or support role responsibilities in the delivery of casework to tamariki and rangatahi and their whānau or family
- from the point a phase requires allocation and continues until the case is:
- closed
- transferred, or
- formally reallocated.
Making allocation decisions
Allocations must be consistent with:
- statutory responsibilities
- operational delegations
- approved role descriptions.
A supervisor must allocate a key social worker to each CYRAS phase.
A supervisor may also allocate a co-social worker or support role where this will support effective practice, service continuity, capability development, or the needs of te tamaiti, rangatahi or whānau or family.
The allocation of co-social workers or support roles does not transfer primary accountability from the key social worker.
Supervisor responsibilities
Supervisors must:
- allocate a key social worker to each phase
- determine whether a co-social worker or support role is required
- actively manage workload and caseloads when making allocation decisions, including considering the number of tamariki or rangatahi involved in a whānau or family
- consider workforce capacity, capability, cultural expertise, experience and availability when making allocations
- consider kaimahi safety and wellbeing, professional development and supervision needs
- ensure all allocations align with job descriptions
- ensure allocated kaimahi receive appropriate oversight, support and supervision
- review and adjust allocations where circumstances, needs, risks or workloads change.
Exception to the requirement to allocate a key social worker – A key social worker is not required to be allocated to a phase where it has been agreed at an offending profile consultation that the involvement of a social worker is not required, and a youth justice coordinator retains case responsibility.
Supervisors must ensure:
- substantive and ongoing responsibilities of co-social workers and support roles are recorded in CYRAS as part of allocation – routine or one-off support tasks do not require formal allocation and recording
- all allocations reflect current roles, and oversight arrangements are clear
- co-social worker and support role allocations are reviewed and amended as required
- allocation changes are updated promptly.
Supervisors should consider allocating co-social worker or support roles when:
- specialist knowledge or cultural expertise is required
- the level of complexity or risk is high
- kaimahi health, safety or security risks have been identified
- the number of tamariki or rangatahi involved requires additional support
- continuity of service is required across regions or services
- a collaborative approach is needed across care and protection, youth justice, residential, or community services
- professional development, mentoring or capability-building opportunities are identified.
Key social worker roles and responsibilities
Kaimahi allocated to the role of key social worker must be employed in the role of social worker.
The key social worker holds primary responsibility for ensuring the oranga, including safety, of te tamaiti or rangatahi, including:
- case direction, including assessment and planning to meet assessed needs
- statutory and delegated social work functions
- oversight of all case activity
- ensuring that te tamaiti or rangatahi and their whānau or family and other key parties understand what is happening, who the key people are and how communication will occur.
Co-social worker roles and responsibilities
Kaimahi allocated to the role of co-social worker must be employed in the role of social worker.
Co-social workers support delivery of the casework, continuity of service, specialist intervention, cultural support, residential coordination and workforce development needs.
Co-social workers must:
- escalate safety concerns or significant events promptly
- complete agreed activities and responsibilities
- share relevant information, observations and analysis with the key social worker
- contribute to assessments, planning and case reflection
- support consistent and coordinated practice
- maintain accurate CYRAS recordings.
Co-social workers should participate in joint supervision or case consultation where appropriate.
Support roles and responsibilities
Support workers may be allocated to support practice alongside the key social worker and co-social worker where their skills, relationships, cultural knowledge or specialist expertise will contribute to improved outcomes for te tamaiti or rangatahi.
Supervisors must ensure they select the support role from the available options in CYRAS that aligns with the role the kaimahi is employed in.
Support workers must:
- undertake tasks as directed by the allocated key social worker or supervisor
- promptly escalate safety or oranga concerns, significant events or emerging risks to the key social worker or supervisor
- maintain appropriate case recordings where required.
Support workers may:
- support engagement with tamariki, rangatahi and whānau or family
- assist with planning, transport, mentoring, cultural connection, transition support, practical assistance, and participation in activities
- contribute information, observations and analysis to assessments and planning.
Support workers do not hold primary case responsibility.
Recording completed by support workers must align with organisational recording standards and be overseen by the key social worker or supervisor.
Residential co-worker responsibilities
Residential co-workers must:
- share responsibility for supporting te tamaiti or rangatahi while they are in residence
- contribute information to support development, review or updates to Goal Plans and residential planning
- provide other relevant information and updates to the key social worker
- bring the voice of te tamaiti or rangatahi to decision-making
- facilitate pre-admission and pre-discharge planning processes
- support transition planning and residential Multi-Agency Team meetings
- support coordinated communication between residential staff, the key social worker, and whānau or family.