Policy
Transition to adulthood — Preparation, assessment and planning
This policy outlines how we must help rangatahi prepare to transition from care or other placements including youth justice residential placements and become increasingly independent.Update made to this policy
More banks now have a streamlined process to support tamariki under 18 to open independent bank accounts – ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, TSB as well as Westpac.
Assisting rangatahi to obtain official documentation
Practice framework prompts for this policy
Our practice framework helps us make sense of and organise our practice so it is framed in te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi), and draws from te ao Māori principles of oranga, within the context of our role in statutory child protection and youth justice in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Ngākau whakairo
How will I make sure that the voice of the rangatahi is central to planning for their transition to adulthood? What will I do to make sure that their whānau or family and others significant to them are involved in the planning?
Ngākau whakairo practice framework domain
Whai mātauranga
Whose knowledge will I need to draw on to ensure that the transition to adulthood for the rangatahi is well supported and empowers their rangatiratanga?
Whai mātauranga practice framework domain
Whai oranga
Using a restorative practice approach and collective strengths, how will I support the rangatahi to realise oranga ngākau through their connections to family, whānau, hapū, iwi or family groups as they prepare to leave our care?
Whai oranga practice framework domain
Whai pūkenga
How will I adjust my ways of relating with the rangatahi to support and encourage them as they develop in their independence?
Whai pūkenga practice framework domain
Whai ākona
How well prepared did I feel as I moved toward adulthood? Who helped guide me? What made the most difference? How does this shape my practice now in working with rangatahi?
Who this policy applies to
This policy also applies to 15 to 18 year olds who have additional entitlements under the Transition to Adulthood Service.
Eligibility
These rangatahi are those whom:
- at any time from the age of 14 years and 9 months, have been in care or custody for a continuous period of at least 3 months, and
- their period of continuous care or custody was any combination of the following care or custody arrangements:
- a care and protection placement, or court wardship
- a youth justice residential placement (including remand)
- police custody (remand) before turning 18
- under a remand or a prison sentence in the adult justice system before turning 18 years old.
Our responsibilities before rangatahi leave care or custody
We must assist rangatahi to prepare for when they leave care or custody. We must plan with them how they will acquire the knowledge, skills, resources and supports they need to thrive in the future as they become independent young adults.
Before rangatahi leave care or custody, we must:
- ensure they know about and understand the entitlements they have once they leave care or custody
- assess their needs and establish what support, advice and assistance they need to become and remain independent after they leave care or custody – this will include an assessment of life skills
- explore all avenues of support available to them, including universal services, and connect them to these supports and services
- develop a plan for transition that reflects the required support, advice and assistance we will give rangatahi
- assist them to obtain accommodation.
We must ensure that any assessment is youth-centred, comprehensive, holistic, strength-based, culturally responsive and trauma-informed.
Ensuring rangatahi understand their entitlements under the Transition to Adulthood Service
We must inform eligible rangatahi of their entitlements:
- to be supported by Oranga Tamariki through an allocated transition worker who will maintain proactive contact and provide support until they turn 21
- to advice and assistance until they turn 25, and
- to remain or return to living with a caregiver from the age of 18 until they turn 21.
We must also inform rangatahi of their right to accept or decline these entitlements at any time. These entitlements are enduring, irrespective if they opt out and they can opt back in at any time.
If rangatahi opt out of an entitlement, this decision and the reason for this decision must be recorded in CYRAS.
Before rangatahi turn 18 – preparing them to leave our care
Interpreters when English is not the first or preferred language
Assessing life skills
Preparing rangatahi to become increasingly independent includes assessing their life skills.
We must:
- assess the life skills of rangatahi when they're 15 years and over
- take into account any developmental or disability issues as part of the assessment
- incorporate into their plan the steps that are needed to strengthen their life skills in preparation for independence, and how we will support them to do this
- keep a record of this assessment.
If rangatahi are living in a youth justice residential placement the life skills assessment and associated planning process must occur as soon as practicable, once it's known that they will be eligible for the Transition to Adulthood Service.
Developing and reviewing the plan
The plan for transition must be developed once rangatahi turn 15 years old or as soon as possible afterwards. If rangatahi are living in a youth justice residential placement, the plan must be developed as soon as practicable, once it's known that they will be eligible to enter the Transition to Adulthood Service.
Planning must be agreed and updated by an appropriate, comprehensive whānau decision-making process, such as a family group conference. If this is not available, we may also use a hui ā-whānau or family meeting process. However, it is important that this is well facilitated and inclusive. The plan must be reviewed and updated:
- at least once a year.
- at least 6 months prior to rangatahi turning 18.
For those rangatahi on an extended care order under section 140(1)(d) of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989, this can only be extended or terminated through a family group conference.
Planning with rangatahi for their transition from care to adulthood
The plan is a living document and must be discussed with rangatahi regularly and updated as necessary.
The plan for transition that is developed 6 months before rangatahi turn 18 is a document the rangatahi will take with them when they leave care or custody. A copy will be retained on their record.
How whānau or family, caregivers and practitioners are to be involved
We must work in partnership with rangatahi, their whānau or family, aiga, caregivers (where relevant), practitioners and others people who are important to them in these planning processes.
Assisting rangatahi to obtain official documentation
Before rangatahi leave care or custody we must assist them to obtain any official documentation they need. This includes:
- a verified online identity
- an IRD number
- photo identification
- an original copy of their birth certificate
- a bank account
- ensuring they understand their legal obligation to enrol on the General or Māori electoral roll.
Some banks now have a streamlined process to support tamariki under 18 to open independent bank accounts. The process and age settings differ for opening accounts with ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, TSB and Westpac.
Staff resource: Banking options and instructions for tamariki and rangatahi | Te Pae (PDF 272 KB)
Education and employment obligations
We must:
- ensure that rangatahi who are 15 years of age and who in care or custody are enrolled at a registered school or in an approved home schooling arrangement
- ensure rangatahi in our care or custody who are between 16 and 18 years of age are assisted to be enrolled at a registered school or tertiary education organisation, or to obtain employment.
Support to address child's or young person's needs – part 2 of the National Care Standards 2018
Referral of rangatahi to a Transition to Adulthood Service
Eligible rangatahi must be referred to a Transition to Adulthood Service after they turn 16 years of age, or at least 6 months before they will leave care, whichever comes first.
When referring, we must consider:
- their wishes
- whether the service is a good fit for them and in line with their preferences
- the capacity of the service to match:
- rangatahi Māori with a transition worker who is culturally responsive to their needs, language and identity, and ideally Māori
- rangatahi with a transition worker that will work with them to support their identity, including cultural and spiritual identity, heritage and languages.
Even if a referral has been made, it's up to rangatahi if they want to work with the transition worker.
In the case of eligible rangatahi leaving a youth justice residential placement, the referral of a transition worker must occur as soon as we reasonably can once it's known that rangatahi will become eligible based on their length of stay.
The referral of a transition worker must be linked to early release decision-making if that rangatahi is on a youth justice Supervision with Residence order.
Before rangatahi turn 18 – preparing them to leave our care
If there's no transition worker available through a local provider, you must follow the 'Maintaining contact' policy.
Working with transition workers
All care, protection and placement needs of rangatahi, while they're in care or custody, remain the responsibility of social workers. In addition, all of our legislative responsibilities and accountabilities remain with the social worker.
We must:
- request and share information in line with the Oranga Tamariki Act information sharing provisions
- ensure that rangatahi have all the information and assistance they need to:
- understand the type of information that will be shared about them, who it will be shared with and in what circumstances
- express their views about their information being shared
- understand the consequences of the decision in relation to sharing
- ensure responsibilities for particular tasks are agreed in the plan in conjunction with rangatahi.
The social worker must:
- complete the referral process to have a transition worker allocated to rangatahi
- support the transition worker to establish a good relationship
- understand the needs of rangatahi as the planning for transition occurs.
Guidance: Before rangatahi turn 18 – preparing them to leave our care
Working with NGOs and teams who are supporting very high needs rangatahi
Some rangatahi with very high needs will be receiving support from NGOs, or in some cases specialist teams within Oranga Tamariki, after they leave care or other placements including youth justice residential placements.
This support will be provided alongside that delivered by the transition workers. In these cases, the plan will reflect this collaboration and the social worker (site or residential) must work with these NGOs or teams as well as the transition worker.
All rangatahi leaving care are entitled to financial assistance of at least $1,500
We must provide rangatahi leaving care to live independently with at least $1,500 to help them buy essential items they need – this is sometimes called a discharge grant. This entitlement to $1,500 financial assistance is not available to rangatahi leaving youth justice residences, unless they already have eligible care or custody orders.
Living independently means either:
- they're not living with an approved caregiver, or
- they're living in an approved independent living arrangement.
The money must be used to support the purchase of essential items, such as:
- furniture, such as a bed, a set of drawers
- flat items, such as pots and pans, kitchen appliances
- bedding and towels
- toiletries and cleaning supplies.
We must:
- discuss with rangatahi which items they might need and how to buy good quality, reasonably priced goods
- assist rangatahi to use these funds before they leave care.
Any unspent funds will remain available to them until they're 21 years of age.
The money is only available if rangatahi are not receiving any similar financial support from another source for the same items.
Discretion to provide financial assistance above $1,500
Any financial assistance above the initial $1,500 is discretionary. Decisions to exceed $1,500 should:
- consider the individual circumstances of rangatahi
- be responsive to their assessed needs
- take into account that needs will change over time
- consider financial assistance available from other sources and access these first if possible.
The financial assistance decision-making framework and principles and purposes are to be drawn on in the decision-making process.
Rangatahi with high and complex needs
If high and complex needs are identified, these can provide grounds for additional levels of financial assistance to help rangatahi achieve independence.
The plan is to be developed 6 months before rangatahi leave care or custody
A plan must record the aspirations of rangatahi and the practical arrangements for when they leave care. It also records the supports that will be provided to assist them to achieve these aspirations.
The plan must:
- address their concerns and needs
- outline their post care living arrangements
- build on the previous steps taken to prepare rangatahi for independence.
The plan must identify:
- where rangatahi will be living and who they will be living with. It will note if they're eligible to remain with, or return to live with a caregiver, and where eligible it will record if they intend to take up this entitlement
- the advice and assistance that will be provided for rangatahi after they leave care, including financial support and payment method
- how they will access further support if needed
- networks of support and how these will be extended if needed
- if eligible, the name of the person and organisation that will maintain contact with rangatahi when they leave care, the frequency of contact, and the arrangements when rangatahi isn’t contactable.
The plan, informed by the most recent life skills assessment, must also outline how:
- education, training or employment aspirations and needs of rangatahi will be supported
- health and wellbeing needs of rangatahi will be supported
- rangatahi will be supported to develop their sense of identity including their cultural identity
- rangatahi will be supported to continue to develop their life skills.
Policy: Transition to adulthood – Entitlement to remain or return to living with a caregiver
Policy: Transition to adulthood – Maintaining contact
Policy: Transition to adulthood – Advice and assistance
The plan will be given to rangatahi, the transition worker as well as others with responsibilities under the plan.