Seeking solutions with whānau and families
Updated: 25 March 2025
Updates made to this guidance
Changes have been made to a number of pages on the Practice Centre to align with the practice approach. Specific changes include:
- Tiaki Oranga replaces the safety and risk screen, and is now being used throughout the life of a case, across service lines whenever we need to understand current safety.
- All references to the Tuituia domains and subdomains have been removed and we now promote the use of Te Puna Oranga and our models, tools and resources to build and deepen our understanding.
- The Tuituia report has been replaced with the assessment report.
Introduction
We consider a family/whānau agreement when we have concerns for the oranga of te tamaiti or rangatahi but there are positive safety factors within the whānau or family.
Practice framework prompts for this policy
Our practice is framed in te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi), based on a mana-enhancing paradigm for practice 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. Our practice framework helps us make sense of and organise our practice.
Domains
Ngākau whakairo
How will my practice uphold the whānau and family right to develop their own solutions to address the needs of their tamaiti or rangatahi?
Ngākau whakairo practice framework domain
Whai mātauranga
How can the knowledge and narratives from the whānau and family help identify the right people to support them?
Whai mātauranga practice framework domain
Whai oranga
How does te tamaiti or rangatahi describe their oranga? How does this help bring the full context of the needs for this family/whānau agreement?
Whai oranga practice framework domain
Whai pūkenga
What are the skills and behaviours I need to facilitate whānau or family-led decision-making in the development of the family/whānau agreement?
Whai pūkenga practice framework domain
Whai ākona
How might bias operate here for me? What actions do I need to take to mitigate bias? What helps me to take a wide view in terms of support needs for this tamaiti or rangatahi and their whānau or family?
Family/whānau agreement
A family/whānau agreement can be considered when there are concerns for the oranga of te tamaiti or rangatahi but enough positive safety factors in place for the whānau or family to work in a voluntary agreement with Oranga Tamariki.
A family/whānau agreement is not an option if the level of concern has reached the point where the social worker has formed a belief that te tamaiti or rangatahi is in need of care and/or protection. The law requires that a referral for a family group conference must be made when a social worker believes te tamaiti or rangatahi is in need of care or protection.
A meeting/hui must be held with the whānau or family to complete the family/whānau agreement. The purpose is to work with the whānau or family to develop a shared understanding of how to support the ongoing oranga (including safety) of te tamaiti or rangatahi. Discuss who gets a copy of this plan and what information needs to be shared with relevant parties to support the plan.
The hui ā-whānau results in a family/whānau agreement that is realistic, achievable and relates to the ongoing oranga (including safety and wellbeing) of te tamaiti or rangatahi.
The family/whānau agreement has a maximum length of 3 months (with a possible one-month extension) and the whānau can withdraw from the agreement at any time. A second agreement can be made for a further three months, but cannot be extended. If the family/whānau agreement has not addressed the oranga concerns the social worker must deepen their understanding of the situation to determine whether te tamaiti or rangatahi is in fact in need of care and/or protection within one or more of the grounds in section 14. If yes, the social worker must make a referral to a family group conference.
Towards the end of the 3 months, the social worker must review the progress of the agreement in order to determine the next steps. This review must include te tamaiti or rangatahi and people involved in the agreement and must be recorded.