Assessment

Through the assessment, we must:

• engage directly with te tamaiti or rangatahi, and seek and reflect their views, wishes and feelings
• identify and relate with parents or caregivers and significant members of the wider whānau or family and family group, including hapū and iwi where relevant – it requires thorough whānau searching at an early stage to widen the network of whānau who can contribute to the assessment and be involved in making good decisions for their own tamariki and rangatahi
• ensure all engagement is guided by tikanga, and takes into consideration an understanding of the culture, worldview and prior experiences of the whānau or family (mana-enhancing paradigm for practice)
• consult with the care and protection resource panel, where required
• include consultation with other professionals working with te tamaiti or rangatahi and their family, whānau, hapū, iwi and family group
• identify the strengths and immediate and long-term needs of te tamaiti or rangatahi
• identify the current circumstances, strengths and protective factors of the immediate and wider family, whānau and family group and consider these alongside historical information
• assist te tamaiti or rangatahi to express their views and be supported if they have difficulty doing so
• ensure te tamaiti or rangatahi is aware of progress and any timeframes we are working towards in a manner appropriate to their age, development, language or any disability-related needs
• ensure that our quality assessments give effect to the Oranga Tamariki practice standards and, where appropriate, the National Care Standards.

Organising my practice

Tiaki Oranga

Te Puna Oranga

Practice standard: See and engage tamariki

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

Care and protection resource panel

Practice standard: Work closely in partnership with others

Policy: Sharing information

Building and deepening understanding

The social worker, in conjunction with their supervisor, is responsible for planning mahi to ensure there is a continual process of gathering and analysing information to support decision-making. The Organising my Practice resource is used to take an organised, intentional approach to our mahi.

We should build our understanding according to:

• the reason for our involvement
• the nature of the presenting issues
• the unique circumstances of te tamaiti or rangatahi and their whānau or family
• the context of our engagement with them.

Using the frame within a frame concept supports us to:

• build and deepen our understanding of harm, risk of harm and safety in the context of oranga
• apply critical thinking and analysis about harm and risk of harm, or youth offending, occurring within context (ecological analysis)
• explore assumptions and bias.

The scope of a section 18A assessment of a parent of a subsequent child is only to assess whether the parent is unlikely to inflict, or allow to be inflicted, on the subsequent child the kind of harm inflicted on a previous child or young person.

Organising my practice

Frame within a frame

For tamariki and rangatahi who offend, all the static and dynamic risk factors must be explored.
Underlying causes of offending behaviour – Static and dynamic risk factors

Recording the assessment

The allocated social worker must:

• complete an assessment report in CYRAS when we reach a point where we need to articulate our built understanding of harm and risk of harm, safety, protection and offending behaviours of tamariki and rangatahi in the context of oranga
• ensure the content of each report is tailored to the purpose of the assessment
• use this articulation to prompt decision-making and planning for the short and long term to support sustained oranga.

Where te tamaiti or rangatahi has more than one allocated Oranga Tamariki social worker and/or residential case leader, they must work together to ensure that, when an assessment report is completed, it is current and relevant and fully reflects the circumstances for te tamaiti or rangatahi. Organising my Practice can be used to help gather the views of all kaimahi involved.

Assessment report

Care and protection assessments

We must complete an assessment report to articulate our built understanding in each of the following circumstances:

• when undertaking an investigation or child and family assessment
• when undertaking a section 18A assessment of a parent of a subsequent child
• when a section 19(3) request for an investigation is received from a care and protection coordinator when referring for a care and protection family group conference – with the assessment and content of the report updated with information gathered in preparation for the conference
• when a decision is made to seek a custody order for te tamaiti or rangatahi
• as soon as practicable and no later than 6 weeks after te tamaiti or rangatahi enters the care or custody of the Oranga Tamariki chief executive
• when making decisions about where te tamaiti or rangatahi is to live, such as their return home or a move to a new care arrangement
• when a social work report and plan is required in the Family Court
• when reviewing a plan (via court, a family group conference or family/whānau agreement) and not less than once every 6 months
• when new information indicates the needs or circumstances of te tamaiti or rangatahi have changed
• when referring for a residential or high needs care arrangement (hub referral) – with the information updated and the content of the report written for this purpose
• before admission to or discharge from a residence or group home or high needs care arrangement – this is a major change in circumstances for te tamaiti or rangatahi and requires the assessment of their needs, strengths and risks to be current, formally recorded and used to inform the next step
• before case closure if this is outside the cycle of a plan review.

Our report must be shared with tamariki, rangatahi and whānau or family, and their views should be included in the assessment report.

The assessment report must be approved by a supervisor.

Referral of care or protection cases to care and protection coordinator by other person or by court – section 19 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989

Youth justice assessments

We must complete an assessment report and have it approved by a supervisor:

• before a youth justice family group conference for all tamariki aged 10 to 13 years
• before a youth justice family group conference for tamariki or rangatahi placed on section 238(1)(d) custody for a period of at least 72 hours
• before a youth justice family group conference for tamariki or rangatahi who also have current care and protection involvement
• for any other tamariki or rangatahi where the offending profile consultation considers it necessary – this decision is recorded in the offending profile
• when Police advise a family group conference coordinator they are considering applying for a Young Serious Offender declaration
• when a Young Serious Offender declaration has been set aside, considered for discharge or reduced
• when a social work report and plan is required for a Youth Court order
• when a progress report (section 308C) for a Supervision or Supervision with Activity Order to the Youth Court is required
• prior to entry to a residence under a section 311 Supervision with Residence Order or Miliatry-Style Academy Order
• prior to discharge from a residence (other than custodial remands)
• when new information indicates the needs or circumstances of te tamaiti or rangatahi have changed
• prior to the completion of the effectiveness report.

Custody of child or young person pending hearing – section 238 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989

Progress reports – section 308C of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989

Supervision with residence order – section 311 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989

Our child and family assessment or investigation must reach a finding of whether abuse or harm has occurred. This finding must be based on analysis of all relevant information obtained during the child and family assessment or investigation process. This includes any alternative explanations provided about how the harm may have occurred and any explanations provided by the person alleged to have caused the harm, whether provided by the person themselves or through a third party such as Police.

Core assessment phase

We must undertake an assessment of a subsequent parent when the conditions of section 18A(1) are met.

See the section 'Undertaking a section 18A assessment of a subsequent parent' below.

Investigation of report of ill-treatment or neglect of child or young person – section 17(1)(a)(b) of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989

Consultation with the care and protection resource panel must occur as soon as practicable after a child and family assessment or investigation has commenced.

Care and protection resource panel

Undertaking a child and family assessment

We undertake a child and family assessment when the report of concern involves an allegation that the care, safety or wellbeing of te tamaiti or rangatahi may be at risk but doesn't indicate abuse which may constitute a criminal offence.

Intake and early assessment

Undertaking an investigation

We undertake an investigation when the report of concern indicates abuse that may constitute a criminal offence.

When undertaking an investigation we must follow the Child Protection Protocol.

Child Protection Protocol (CPP)

Timeframes for the child and family assessment or investigation

If the outcome of the initial assessment phase is either a child and family assessment or an investigation, then we must complete the core assessment phase within 20 days.

Where the outcome of the core assessment phase is that te tamaiti or rangatahi is in need of care or protection, you must make a referral for a care and protection family group conference and complete the full assessment phase within 20 days.

Assessment of safety, harm and risk

Te tamaiti or rangatahi referred for a child and family assessment or investigation must have Tiaki Oranga completed within the specified decision response timeframe.

Tiaki Oranga

Decision response timeframes

Face-to-face engagement with te tamaiti or rangatahi and their parent or caregiver is essential to ensure a robust assessment of safety. Te tamaiti or rangatahi should be encouraged and assisted to participate to a degree appropriate for their age and maturity and given reasonable opportunities and support to freely express their views. Social workers must seek the consent of their parents or guardians before engaging te tamaiti or rangatahi unless doing so places te tamaiti or rangatahi or others at risk of harm, either directly or indirectly.

Seeking consent to talk with tamariki and rangatahi

Where further assessment is required following the completion of Tiaki Oranga, safety must be built around te tamaiti or rangatahi. Tiaki Oranga should be completed more than once across the practice continuum for all service lines, whenever we need to understand current safety, harm and risk.

When te tamaiti or rangatahi is in hospital with a suspected non-accidental injury

When a report of concern is received about a tamaiti or rangatahi who has been hospitalised with a suspected non-accidental injury we must work collaboratively with whānau or family and involved professionals, including Police and medical staff, to understand and meet the immediate needs of te tamaiti or rangatahi and keep them safe from further harm during their stay, and after leaving hospital.

We must:

• commence a collaborative and multi-disciplinary process for decision-making and planning within 24 hours of te tamaiti or rangatahi being admitted to hospital
• engage whānau or family as early as possible
• ensure that contact and supervision arrangements are made which reflect and address the safety and trauma-related needs of te tamaiti or rangatahi
• develop a plan with te tamaiti or rangatahi (where appropriate), whānau or family and professionals prior to discharge which outlines:
  • who will care for te tamaiti or rangatahi
  • how safety will be addressed and health needs responded to
  • the provision of required support
  • roles and responsibilities of professionals
  • the process for monitoring and review.

When the perpetrator of a suspected non-accidental injury is unknown, agreed safety arrangements for keeping te tamaiti or rangatahi safe must be established with this at the forefront of planning. While efforts to build safety should be in collaboration with whānau or family they may also include consideration about whether an immediate application for a Place of Safety warrant or other legal order is necessary to secure the safety of te tamaiti or rangatahi. The decision will be made in consultation with a supervisor and/or practice leader, site solicitor and appropriate health representative.

Multi-agency safety planning template (DOC 145 KB)

Protect and support the development of tamariki and rangatahi within healthy whānau and families

Child Protection Protocol (CPP)

Undertaking a section 18A assessment of a subsequent parent

We must undertake a section 18A assessment of a subsequent parent when:

• it is established that a parent meets the criteria of section 18B and has, or is going to have, day-to-day care of a subsequent child, and
• there has been no previous section 17 investigation, or section 18A assessment of a previous subsequent child that has found no care or protection concerns.

The purpose of a section 18A assessment is only to assess whether the parent is unlikely to inflict, or allow to be inflicted, on the subsequent child the kind of harm inflicted on a previous child or young person.

Policy: Subsequent child

Guidance: Subsequent child – section 18A assessment by social worker

Your assessment report must reflect the following areas of need along with what is required to meet those needs and by the National Care Standards.

The areas of need are:

• identity and culture
• connection with family, whānau, hapū, iwi and family group
• safety
• behavioural development
• play, recreation and community
• emotional
• education and training
• health related
• disability related
• frequency of visits to te tamaiti or rangatahi.

Your assessment report must also reflect the wishes, aspirations and strengths of te tamaiti or rangatahi.

Assessing the needs of tamariki in care

Practice when working with disabled people

Assessing safety needs for tamariki in care

Determining the frequency of visits to tamariki and rangatahi in care

Care transitions

When tamariki or rangatahi are about to have a change in their care arrangement, we must understand what they need to make the transition a positive experience. The assessment report must support the transition of care arrangement until the new care arrangement is stable for te tamaiti or rangatahi.

Transitioning between placements

Transition to adulthood

Policy: Transitions within care

Assessing life skills

We must understand the knowledge and experience of life skills needed for independent living for all rangatahi under 18 for whom section 386A of the Oranga Tamariki Act applies.

We must:

• understand the support they need to become and remain independent after they leave care
• consider their development and any cultural and disability-related needs they may have
• record their identified needs in their assessment report.

Supporting rangatahi to develop their life skills

Transition Support Service life skills tool (PDF 418 KB)

Policy: Transition to adulthood – Preparation, assessment and planning

Care and protection – gateway assessments

We must make a referral for a gateway assessment within 10 working days for all tamariki or rangatahi who enter care under sections 78, 101, 102 or 140 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 unless:

• discussions with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education determine they are already well engaged with services and would not benefit from a gateway assessment
• we can't obtain consent for the gateway assessment to be completed.

We must consider making a referral for a gateway assessment for:

• tamariki and rangatahi already in the care or custody of Oranga Tamariki but who have not yet had a gateway assessment
• tamariki and rangatahi who are referred for a care and protection family group conference.

Gateway assessments

Youth justice – education screens and health and education assessments

We must complete an education screen for all tamariki or rangatahi referred for a youth justice family group conference.

The youth justice family group conference coordinator must:

• seek consent from te tamaiti or rangatahi, if the screen recommends further assessment, to make a referral for an education assessment completed by an educational psychologist from Group Special Education
• seek consent from te tamaiti or rangatahi to make a referral for a health assessment to be completed by an approved youth justice health assessor
• seek consent from parents or guardians.

The youth justice coordinator must seek the support of a family member for te tamaiti or rangatahi during the assessment process.

When tamariki or rangatahi who offend are brought into the care or custody of the chief executive under sections 78, 101, 102, 139 and 140 of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 prior to the family group conference being held, the decision to proceed with either a gateway assessment or health and education assessments will be made at the pre-family group conference case consultation. We must implement the most appropriate course of action to meet the needs of te tamaiti or rangatahi.

Education screen

The offending profile consultation is the first opportunity to look at what we know about te tamaiti or rangatahi, their whānau or family and the environment they live in.

It helps us determine the appropriate response for each tamaiti or rangatahi based on our understanding of their needs and the underlying causes of their offending behaviour, and their current and future risk of offending.

The youth justice coordinator is responsible for completing the offending profile.

When an offending profile is required

We complete an offending profile:

• the first time te tamaiti or rangatahi is referred or directed for a youth justice family group conference or
• if te tamaiti or rangatahi reoffends and their offending profile is 3 or more months old.

The offending profile consultation

The youth justice coordinator consults with the youth justice supervisor. The consultation may also include the youth justice social worker (if allocated) and others such as care and protection kaimahi if there is current care and protection involvement.

The consultation considers what we know about te tamaiti or rangatahi and their whānau or family to support decisions about next steps including:

• information received from the Police referral consultation including previous offending behaviour of te tamaiti or rangatahi and any previous Police-led alternative action plans
• pattern of offending - increase/decrease in frequency and/or severity, including self-reported offending
• awareness of impact on victim
• remorse for offending
• any previous care or protection assessments or plans including any existing All About Me plans, gateway assessments or education screens
• any current care or protection concerns
• whether anything from the available information indicates te tamaiti or rangatahi is experiencing, or at risk of, self-harm, suicide or psychological distress.

It helps us consider what we understand about their needs and the current and future risk of offending and determine if:

• a social worker should be allocated
• any immediate action is required to address care or protection concerns
• an assessment report is required
• other assessments, such as a health or education assessment, are required to build our understanding before the family group conference
  The education screen
  The Health and Education Assessment Programme (DOC 114 KB)
• a youth justice pre-family group conference case consultation is required
• whether ongoing custody is required if te tamaiti or rangatahi is in a residence (balancing the oranga of te tamaiti or rangatahi, public safety and interests, the interests of any victims, and the accountability of te tamaiti or rangatahi for their offending).

Recording the outcome of the consultation

The youth justice co-ordinator records the offending profile consultation in the offending profile on CYRAS, ensuring all relevant documents are uploaded and demographic information is accurate.

The date of the consultation, the attendees, and the outcome of consultation are recorded. This includes the decision about whether an assessment report is required, a rationale for the decision, next steps and a due date for the assessment report if required.

Refer to the Assessment policy for cases that always require an assessment report.

Policy: Assessment

Sharing the offending profile

On completion of the offending profile consultation, the youth justice coordinator ensures the approved offending profile is made available to the:

• youth justice supervisor
• youth justice social worker (if allocated)
• care and protection kaimahi (if involved)
• kairaranga ā-whānau, senior Māori practitioner, Pacific or other cultural advisor, or disability advisor (if involved)
• practice leader (if required)
• others such as the residential case leader and family group conference team leaders (as required). 

When is a pre-family group conference case consultation required

A pre-family group conference case consultation (case consultation) must be held:

• before a youth justice family group conference for tamariki aged 10 to 13 years
• before a youth justice family group conference for tamariki or rangatahi placed on section 238(1)(d) custody for a period of at least 72 hours
• before a youth justice family group conference for tamariki or rangatahi who also have current care and protection involvement
• for any other tamariki or rangatahi where the offending profile consultation considers it necessary – this decision is recorded in the offending profile.

Policy: Assessment

Timeframe

The case consultation must be held within 5 working days of the referral consult for tamariki referred for a family group conference on the grounds of s14(1)(e).    

In other cases, it is important to ensure that the case consultation is held with sufficient time for any required work to be completed prior to the family group conference being held.

Joint Family Group Conference Protocol for Children Who Offend (PDF 561 KB)

Who attends the youth justice pre-family group conference case consultation

The case consultation will be attended by the youth justice supervisor and youth justice social worker and the youth justice co-ordinator.

The relevant care and protection social worker and their supervisor will attend if the offending is by a tamaiti or there’s recent or active care and protection involvement for a rangatahi.

The practice leader will attend if the offending is by a tamaiti  or there is current care and protection involvement.

The care and protection coordinator will attend if a care and protection family group conference is being, or has recently been, convened or held.

The residential case leader should attend if te tamaiti or rangatahi is in residential custody.

Where more complex issues are identified, attendance is increased to include all other relevant people including the practice leaders, site solicitor, and professionals working with te tamaiti or rangatahi and their whānau or family.

Who leads the youth justice pre-family group conference case consultation

The case consultation will be led by the youth justice supervisor or social worker unless the case consultation is for a tamaiti (referred under s14(1)(e)), in which case it must be led by the practice leader.

The youth justice co-ordinator may assist with facilitation if requested.

If there is care and protection involvement, a co-leadership role may be agreed between youth justice and care and protection staff.

Purpose of the pre-family group conference case consultation

A pre-family group conference case consultation brings key people together to share what we know about te tamaiti or rangatahi and their whānau or family, identify what we need to build and deepen our understanding of, and what actions need to be taken to prepare for the family group conference.

The youth justice coordinator will bring the offending profile and other relevant information about te tamaiti or rangatahi to the case consultation.

We use our practice tools as appropriate to support the case consultation.

Child/young person and family consult

Organising my practice

Tiaki Oranga

The case consultation considers matters such as:

• what is known and understood about te tamaiti or rangatahi and their whānau or family, including prior involvement with Oranga Tamariki
• if a whānau or family meeting needs to be arranged to consider immediate safety and support needs – required for a s14(1)(e) referral
• our assessment report (if available) and other available assessments, such as a gateway assessment
• the needs identified in the All About Me plan - if te tamaiti or rangatahi is in care or custody
• whether other specialist assessments, such as a health or education assessment, would enable a deeper understanding of the support needs of te tamaiti or rangatahi
• identifying significant whānau, family and others in their lives who must be given the opportunity to be included in the convening and holding of the family group conference
• whether ongoing custody is required if te tamaiti or rangatahi is in a residence (balancing the oranga of te tamaiti or rangatahi, public safety and interests, the interests of any victims, and the accountability of te tamaiti or rangatahi for their offending)
• whether other agencies need to be involved
• whether anything from the available information indicates te tamaiti or rangatahi is experiencing, or at risk of, self-harm, suicide or psychological distress
• if parenting, mentoring, alcohol or drug programmes need to be considered for te tamaiti or rangatahi or their whānau or family
• additional actions that may be needed to address any care or protection concerns.

The education screen

The Health and Education Assessment Programme (DOC 114 KB)

Recording the outcome of the case consultation

The youth justice supervisor or social worker is responsible for recording the details of the case consultation in CYRAS (in the YJ Phase case notes in intervention).

Our practice tools, if used, provide structure for recording the case consultation.

Recording will include the date of the consultation, the attendees, and decisions made and actions required, together with agreed roles and responsibilities.

Subsequent meetings

The pre-family group conference case consultation is only the first step.

Where care or protection concerns are held for a tamaiti or rangatahi, and/or they have complex needs or a high risk of re-offending, youth justice coordinators, supervisors and social workers will continue to meet to ensure any identified and/or emerging needs and risks are understood and, where necessary, addressed prior to the family group conference.

The co-ordinator may also schedule a meeting with the social worker and supervisor if required shortly before the conference to:

• confirm the assessment report is complete (if required) and has been shared with te tamaiti or rangatahi and their whānau or family
• discuss/clarify facilitation.

This will ensure the co-ordinator knows what information the social worker is presenting and how this will be presented, and the social worker understands the approach the co-ordinator will use in the conference and any participant dynamics that will need to be considered.

The consult must be used:

• during the care and protection assessment (child and family assessment or investigation) to inform the analysis and next steps
• at the completion of a section 18A assessment of a subsequent parent to inform the decision about whether the parent is unlikely to inflict, or allow to be inflicted, the kind of harm inflicted on a previous tamaiti or rangatahi
• for all tamariki (aged 10 to 13 years) who offend
• for all tamariki (aged 14 to 17) who offend and who have a care and protection intervention which is current or has been active within the last 3 months
• when removal from or return home is considered
• as the framework for the professionals meeting held when returning te tamaiti or rangatahi home.

Child/young person and family consult

Hui ā-whānau or family meetings must be used:

• across the continuum of assessment and at the earliest opportunity to build and deepen our understanding with tamariki, rangatahi, whānau or family and others
• to share information with whānau about concerns for tamariki and rangatahi and seek their views
• to involve wider whānau or family support networks and build understanding of whānau or family strengths and needs
• to do safety planning for and with tamariki and rangatahi
• to prepare for family group conference.

Hui ā-whānau

We must use the SKS screens when:

• mental health, suicide and/or substance use are potential concerns
• significant events, trauma, behaviours and/or risk factors are present
• te tamaiti or rangatahi is held in police custody
• te tamaiti or rangatahi enters a residence, and at any time during the residential stay when mental health is identified as a concern or potential concern.

The use of these screening tools is not required where:

• a recent assessment has been undertaken by a mental health or alcohol and drug service provider that details the current level of assessed risk of suicide and/or self-harm, and
• this assessment has been recorded on CYRAS, and
• there has been no significant change to the circumstances for te tamaiti or rangatahi since that assessment was completed.

Even in these instances, we must still consult with a Towards Wellbeing advisor and record the results on CYRAS.

The screens are designed for use with tamariki and rangatahi aged 12 years and over. If you have concerns about suicide for a tamaiti under 12, or a tamaiti or rangatahi with an intellectual disability, talk to your local Towards Wellbeing advisor before applying the screens.

SACs, Kessler and Suicide screens (SKS)

Ngākau whakairo

How will I ensure the right of whānau or family to participate in informed whānau decision-making as we work together to develop a shared understanding of the harm impacting oranga?

Whai mātauranga

What knowledge am I drawing on in my approach to building a shared understanding with this whānau or family and others about what has been happening? How will I understand the situation of te tamaiti or rangatahi through the mana-enhancing paradigm for practice and in the context of their whakapapa?

Whai oranga

How will an oranga framing support me as I intentionally build and check my understanding of what is happening for te tamaiti or rangatahi and their whānau or family? How will the selected practice model support change to occur?

Whai pūkenga

What skills do I need to facilitate a relational, inclusive and restorative relationship with this tamaiti, rangatahi, whānau or family? How am I working with whānau or family from the beginning to ensure that all whānau or family can contribute?

Whai ākona

How would I feel if it was my whānau or family involved in this process? What would support me to engage in the process? How can I reflect this within my own practice?