Care
Higher fostercare allowance
The higher fostercare allowance (HFCA) is used when a caregiver requires additional and specific financial support to meet the special needs of te tamaiti or rangatahi in their care that is best provided through a regular higher rate of payment.
Assessment and planning
SMART planning
Good planning should follow the SMART principles: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timeframed.
Practice approach
Harmful behaviour
What distinguishes age-appropriate exploration from ‘harmful behaviour’ is the extent of the behaviour and the impact on te tamaiti or rangatahi.
Practice tools
Using scaling questions
Scaling questions are a valuable tool we can use to build and deepen our understanding with tamariki, rangatahi, whānau or family and others. They assume that things happen on a continuum and open up room for discussion about what could be different.
Adoption
Facilitating the adoption of a tamaiti from overseas
We help adoptive applicants explore what’s involved in parenting a tamaiti from overseas. We provide information and can facilitate adoption of an unknown non-relative tamaiti from another country if NZ has an intercountry adoption programme with them.
Care
Use of legal orders to support a safe, stable and loving home for tamariki in permanent care
Legal orders for permanent care can support security and stability for tamariki who have been in our care or custody and their caregivers.
Care
Finances and wills for tamariki and rangatahi in care or custody
Tamariki and rangatahi may have personal finances, which could include their pocket money, their earnings and any other income. There are several options to help them manage their finances – and to create a will – if they want to.
Babysitting and overnight stays: When children or young people are in care
There will always be times when children and young people want to have sleepovers with friends. Responsible parents exercise their judgement in these circumstances to make sure that their children have safe interactions outside the home. Approved caregivers of our children and young people in care are no exception.
Interventions, Policy
Family group conferences for care or protection concerns
We support tamariki and rangatahi and their whānau or family to create their own solutions to address care or protection concerns through the family group conference process, from referral to review, including when a family group conference is reconvened.
Assessment and planning
Concerning fire-related behaviour
Concerning fire-related behaviour poses significant risks to te tamaiti or rangatahi and others, and can have serious immediate, short-term and long-term impacts on oranga. Serious underlying issues may contribute to concerning fire-related behaviour.