Policy
Transitions within care
We must support a positive and successful transition when tamariki come into care, move to live with a new caregiver, including residences, move into, between or out of a residence, return home or live permanently with a new whānau or family.Upcoming changes for this policy
This content will be strengthened so it more completely reflects our commitment to practice framed by te Tiriti o Waitangi, based on a mana-enhancing paradigm for practice, and drawing from Te Ao Māori principles of oranga to support mana tamaiti, whakapapa and whanaungatanga. We each need to consider how we can apply these principles to our practice when reading this policy. The following resources provide support:
Practice for working effectively with Māori
Our practice shift
Who this policy applies to
This policy applies to tamariki who are:
- coming into care
- transitioning between caregivers, including residences
- transitioning into, between or out of a residence
- transitioning home after being in care
- transitioning into a permanent care arrangement after being in care.
When tamariki are moving regions, you must also apply the 'Casework responsibilities when our work involves more than 1 site' policy.
Guidance: The journey through residence for tamariki and rangatahi
Policy: Ensuring a safe, stable and loving home for tamariki in care
Policy: Casework responsibilities when our work involves more than 1 site
When this policy doesn’t apply
This policy doesn’t apply to:
- the assessment, planning and preparation for rangatahi transitioning to adulthood
- rangatahi who are moving into an independent living situation while in care
- eligible rangatahi over 18 and who return to or remain living with a caregiver.
Transition to adulthood — Preparation, assessment and planning
Policy: Caring for children and young people — Independent living
Policy: Transition to adulthood — Entitlement to remain or return live with a caregiver
Involving te tamaiti in decision-making
We must encourage and assist te tamaiti to participate in planning for their transition and to ensure that their views are recorded and taken into account. Our responsibilities to support te tamaiti to participate in decisions that affect them are set out in the Participation of tamariki policy.
Assessing the needs of te tamaiti
We must assess how the needs of te tamaiti will be impacted by the transition, and any new needs that arise, so we can support a positive transition.
Prior to te tamaiti moving, we must:
- develop, or review and update, the All About Me plan – in particular considering how the needs of te tamaiti will be impacted by the transition
- ensure any new information and analysis is accurately recorded in the Tuituia recording tool
- assess the likely effects of the placement on te tamaiti and the household, including the effect on other tamariki within the home.
Transition planning
We must support the transition and record the steps we’ll take to support a positive transition in the plan for te tamaiti.
The All About Me plan must be developed or reviewed with, and take into account the views of:
- te tamaiti
- whānau or family
- members of their hapū, iwi, extended whānau or family groups and other people who have been identified as important to te tamaiti
- any current and prospective caregivers or residence staff.
The plan must:
- be informed by the assessed needs of te tamaiti
- detail how we will support te tamaiti throughout and after the transition, including recording any steps needed to help te tamaiti and caregivers prepare for the transition
- state what we are doing to maintain and strengthen the connections between te tamaiti and their whānau or family throughout the transition
- record any actions current caregivers, new caregivers, residence staff, or others need to take to meet the needs of te tamaiti and support the transition
- state how often te tamaiti will be visited and by whom
- take into consideration the culture of te tamaiti, such as supporting tikanga and values important to te tamaiti, or involving people, services or organisations that understand the culture of te tamaiti.
Recording the plan
The support to meet the transitional needs must be recorded in the All About Me plan, which is either:
- updated to reflect the transition – if te tamaiti already has an All About Me plan, or
- developed – if te tamaiti is coming into care.
Helping te tamaiti and caregivers prepare for the transition
Before the transition, we must:
- make every effort to ensure te tamaiti understands why they’re moving to a new home
- make every effort to ensure te tamaiti knows when they’ll be moving
- make every effort to ensure te tamaiti understands information about their new home, for example who lives there, what the house rules are, and providing them with the Welcome to our Home information
- arrange for te tamaiti to visit where they’ll be living and meet others who live or work there before they move — if this isn’t possible we must provide and explain information about the physical environment
- discuss with te tamaiti what information is being shared about them with the new caregiver or residence staff
- discuss relevant information about te tamaiti with the new caregiver or residence staff and share the plan with them
- arrange for te tamaiti to bring their personal belongings including their life stories and Taonga — if they’re unable to, ensure they’re stored safely
- arrange for te tamaiti to maintain or re-establish connections with their whānau or family, siblings and significant others throughout and after the move
- arrange for te tamaiti to maintain a relationship with their current caregiver — if we consider it’s in the best interests of te tamaiti
- support any current caregiver to understand what they can do to help the transition go smoothly.
Transitioning between placements
Information and visits for prospective placements
Maintaining a record of important life events
Policy: Working with tamariki and rangatahi in residences
The journey through residences for tamariki and rangatahi
Guidance
Supporting and visiting te tamaiti after the transition
Tamariki are likely to require additional support for some time after their move has occurred.
After the transition, we must:
- visit te tamaiti as soon as we are reasonably able to following the transition
- review their plan with them and check that they have the support and information they need
- review the frequency of further visits based on the needs of te tamaiti
- visit their new caregiver, check that they have the support and information they need.
When tamariki return home after a period in care
This section of the policy outlines specific requirements for returning tamariki home, who have been in the custody of the Oranga Tamariki chief executive for longer than 28 days, including tamariki who are exiting from a Oranga Tamariki residence.
Assessment to support the return home decision
The decision to return a tamaiti home to a parent or other adult who has previously cared for them must be based on a robust assessment.
When tamariki return home we must:
- consider the support that is required to support the return home
- organise and facilitate return home meetings
- visit as agreed in their All About Me plan.
Return home meetings
At least two calendar weeks prior to a tamaiti returning home, the social worker for te tamaiti must organise and facilitate a meeting (this could be a family group conference) to ensure that the services and supports needed will be in place both prior to and after te tamaiti has returned home.
The meeting must include:
- te tamaiti (where appropriate)
- the parent or parent figure
- other whānau or family
- the lawyer for child, and
- key professionals who are working with te tamaiti and their parent or parent figure, for example, teacher for te tamaiti, medical professionals, NGO support workers.
The social worker will use the child and family consult as a framework for the meetings.
Within four calendar weeks of te tamaiti returning home, the social worker for the tamaiti must organise and facilitate a second meeting with the above people to discuss the transition progress.
Return home meeting must occur as required to review the plan and progress of the transition until the custody order can be discharged.
The reviews when tamariki have returned home will focus on ensuring that necessary supports are available to te tamaiti and their whānau or family, to ensure wellbeing and safety and so that custody orders only remain in place as long as is necessary.
Policy: Ensuring a safe, stable and loving home for tamariki in care
Return home visits
When te tamaiti has returned home, the social worker must assess and record the frequency of visits based on the needs of te tamaiti in the All About Me plan. The first four weeks following the return home is a time of increased vulnerability. Consider visiting te tamaiti at least once a week for the first four weeks following the return. The frequency of visits will not be reduced until the post-return home meeting has been held.
Each visit with te tamaiti must involve efforts to engage with them on their own so they are able to speak freely about any worries they may have.
Assessing the frequency of visits to tamariki in care
Policy: Visiting and engaging with tamariki in care
Urgent transitions
There will be situations where tamariki need to be moved to a new home urgently. In these cases the assessment, planning, provision of support and monitoring required for the transition must be provided to the extent it can be before the move.
Where possible, we must:
- explain to te tamaiti the reason they’re moving
- provide te tamaiti with as much information as we can on what to expect during the transition
- discuss with te tamaiti what support or help can be provided
- ensure whānau or family, siblings and significant others know where te tamaiti is moving to and why — unless this isn’t in the best interests of te tamaiti
- give caregivers an explanation of the reasons why the move is happening — unless this isn’t in the best interests of te tamaiti
- consult with te tamaiti about what information about them will need to be provided to their new caregiver.
Any steps outlined in this policy that we’re unable to take before the move must be carried out as soon as we can after the move.