Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, August 8, 2024
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has announced new measures to ensure greater transparency and accountability for Oranga Tamariki.
Starting from the 2024/25 financial year, the organisation will report quarterly on key performance indicators (KPIs).
This move aims to address the public’s growing concerns about the agency’s performance, particularly regarding the safety and well-being of children and young people in its care.
“My first and most important priority is to ensure Oranga Tamariki is relentlessly focused on the safety of children and young people in its care,” Ms Chhour stated.
She emphasised the need for transparency, highlighting that New Zealanders are deeply concerned about Oranga Tamariki’s performance. “Too many children in the care of their family, or their caregivers, die every year in this country. It is a national disgrace.”
Monitoring KPIs
The quarterly reports will cover five key areas critical to the safety and well-being of children and young people in Oranga Tamariki’s care.
The first area is the frequency of visits to children in care, which will track the percentage of children who have been visited by their social worker at least once in the last eight weeks. This ensures their ongoing safety and well-being.
Secondly, the timeliness around reports of concern will be measured, specifically the percentage of critical (within 24 hours) and very urgent (within 48 hours) reports addressed within these timeframes.
Supporting caregivers is another crucial focus, with a rolling survey assessing whether caregivers feel supported, would recommend becoming a caregiver, and whether they are considering stopping.
Improving complaint management and practices will be monitored by the proportion of complaints audited that fully meet Oranga Tamariki standards.
Lastly, addressing youth offending is targeted with a goal of a 15% reduction in the number of children and young people with serious and persistent offending behaviour.
Ms Chhour stressed the importance of good, accountable leadership in improving Oranga Tamariki’s performance. “Whenever a failing has been identified within Oranga Tamariki, there has been finger-pointing, and it has been unclear where the buck stops. A new approach is required.”
By introducing KPIs and quarterly public reporting, Ms Chhour aims to foster a culture of accountability and improved performance within the organisation. “Key performance indicators and quarterly reporting, to the public, will encourage accountability and better performance in the entire organisation,” she said.
This initiative is a significant step towards ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable children and young people in New Zealand.
The announcement has received mixed reactions from the public. Sam Pearson, a mother from Wellington, expressed her relief. “It is about time Oranga Tamariki became more transparent. As a parent, I need to know that children in care are safe and well looked after. This move gives me some hope that things might improve.”
The implementation of these new measures will be closely watched by both supporters and critics, as the government and Oranga Tamariki work towards improving the care and safety of the nation’s most vulnerable children and young people.
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Hamilton.
