Visiting and engaging with tamariki and rangatahi in care

Ngākau whakairo

How will I make sure that the rights of tamariki and rangatahi to be informed, participate in decision-making, express their views and have them taken into account are respected at every visit?

Ngākau whakairo practice framework domain

Whai mātauranga

What knowledge am I drawing on to understand the cultural identity of te tamaiti or rangatahi? How will I make sense of what te tamaiti or rangatahi is telling me? How will I value their knowledge alongside the knowledge I learn from others?

Whai mātauranga practice framework domain

Whai oranga

How can I support te tamaiti or rangatahi to freely express their views and needs during my visit? In what ways will I support te tamaiti or rangatahi to understand information, explore options and contribute to or influence decisions about them that support their oranga?

Whai oranga practice framework domain

Whai pūkenga

What skills and behaviours do I use to meaningfully relate with this tamaiti or rangatahi in a way that considers their age and ability to understand? How will I meaningfully relate with tamariki or rangatahi who are non-verbal or require support to communicate, to ensure I understand what needs they are communicating?

Whai pūkenga practice framework domain

Whai ākona

As a tamaiti or child, who were the adults I was comfortable talking with and why? What made some adults easier to talk with than others? What role did trust in the adult play? How can I apply this to my mahi?

Whai ākona practice framework domain

When this policy doesn't apply

This policy doesn't apply to tamariki or rangatahi who are involved with Oranga Tamariki but aren't in the care or custody of the chief executive.

There is separate policy and guidance about engaging with tamariki or rangatahi who we are working with via a family group conference, family/whānau agreement or through the Transition Support Service.

Policy: Family group conferences for care and/or protection concerns

Policy: Seeking solutions with families

Family/whānau agreement

Transition to adulthood

Visits are an opportunity to:

• build a relationship, by spending quality time engaging with tamariki and rangatahi
• support tamariki and rangatahi to share their thoughts and feelings
• listen to any concerns tamariki or rangatahi have
• check with tamariki and rangatahi that they are receiving clothing and pocket money
• involve tamariki and rangatahi in decisions that affect them, including discussing any need to share information about them with others
• engage with the caregiver or residence staff about how te tamaiti or rangatahi in their care is doing and seek their views on whether the plan is meeting the needs of te tamaiti or rangatahi.

Policy: Review of caregiver approval

Practice standard: See and engage tamariki

Consulting about sharing information

If the key social worker can't visit te tamaiti or rangatahi

If the key social worker of te tamaiti or rangatahi can't visit, the social worker's supervisor must arrange for someone suitable to carry out the visit.

If te tamaiti or rangatahi is in a residence or another region and their social worker can't physically visit, a video call can be used to complete the visit or a co-worker can be requested to visit.

Visits with tamariki and rangatahi in care or custody

Policy: Working with tamariki and rangatahi in residences

Policy: Casework responsibilities when our work involves more than 1 site

The frequency, as well as the rationale for that frequency, must be:

• determined in consultation with te tamaiti or rangatahi, the caregiver and the caregiver social worker
• agreed by a supervisor and the approval recorded in the supervision phase casenotes
• recorded in the All About Me plan for te tamaiti or rangatahi.

Wherever possible, the views of whānau or family should also be considered.

Policy: All About Me plan

The social worker must regularly review the frequency of visits as appropriate, and when there has been a change in the circumstance or needs of te tamaiti or rangatahi. The All About Me plan must be updated if the frequency of visits changes to ensure it reflects the needs and wishes of te tamaiti or rangatahi.

A change in the circumstance or needs of te tamaiti or rangatahi may require an immediate increase in the frequency of visits. This frequency can be increased without a formal reassessment of visiting frequency and supervisor approval, to meet the immediate needs of te tamaiti or rangatahi.

A formal reassessment of visiting frequency must occur once the circumstances or needs of te tamaiti or rangatahi have stabilised, considering recent events. The frequency of visiting must not be decreased without a reassessment and supervisor approval.

We must ensure their plan is on track and effective by:

• going over their All About Me Plan with them – use the Tamariki All About Me version where appropriate taking into account the age or development of te tamaiti or rangatahi
• looking at whether actions or commitments agreed to in the plan are happening
• talking with te tamaiti or rangatahi about how well they think the plan is working to achieve the identified outcomes
• talking with te tamaiti or rangatahi about the support and opportunities they have to develop, maintain and strengthen positive relationships with their family, whānau, hapū and iwi, and considering whether anything needs to be done differently
• exploring whether circumstances or needs have changed and whether anything needs to be done differently.

Policy: All About Me plan

All About Me plan to meet the needs of tamariki

Tamariki All About Me plan – child friendly version

Consulting about sharing information

If te tamaiti or rangatahi is unable to talk to us verbally because of their young age, development, language barrier or disability, we must ensure we communicate effectively with te tamaiti or rangatahi, including through the use of:

• observation
• specialist tools to support communication
• specialist professionals, and
• talking to caregivers and others in their household.

Visits with tamariki and rangatahi in care or custody