Oranga Tamariki work was already underway to address many of the findings in the report. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Improvements are needed when tamariki are returned home while in state custody, a report by the Independent Children's Monitor says.
The report, Returning Home from Care, looks at experiences and practices surrounding tamariki and rangatahi cared for at home by parents while in state custody.
As at 30 June 2022, 627 tamariki and rangatahi in care were living in this type of arrangement, representing 12 percent of children in care.
The report found planning was important to the success of a return home, but almost half were unplanned. Policy at the time recommended tamariki be visited weekly for the first four weeks, however this happened for only 19 percent.
Across the first four weeks, tamariki and rangatahi whose return home was unplanned were visited less frequently than those whose return was planned.
The report also identified barriers arising from communication, collaboration, funding, and inconsistent policies. Examples included long waiting lists for assessments and specialised support for parents, such as alcohol and drug counselling.
It also revealed data on the success of children returning home was limited. Oranga Tamariki did not know how many were subsequently removed from the care of parents following a return home.
Aroturuki Tamariki Independent Children's Monitor chief executive Arran Jones said the goal was for tamariki or rangatahi to return home but it had to be when it was assessed as safe.
"We heard that for many tamariki, rangatahi and whānau, the supports and services are not in place," Jones said.
"Our report found that planning is important to the success of tamariki returning home, however data shows that almost half of these are unplanned. Some of those unplanned returns may be rangatahi voting with their feet, but it is important that social workers are checking on the safety of tamariki and rangatahi.
"We also heard that communication, collaboration, and funding across the social sector were barriers to success. Lack of co-ordination in the policies and practice of government agencies was also identified as a barrier to a successful return home."
There was room to do better for sake of tamariki and their parents, Jones said.
Oranga Tamariki deputy chief executive of quality, practice and experience Nicolette Dickson said work was already underway to address many of the findings in the report.
She said Oranga Tamariki had started work on developing new policy and supporting guidance for social workers when determining how and when to support children to return home.
Improvements were also being made to transitions from one environment to the other as well as an upgrade of technology systems.
Oranga Tamariki was also considering a range of strategies to simplify core processes and systems, as well as working with other agencies to establish the relationships and connections needed to deliver the broader Oranga Tamariki Action Plan.
It was developing a collaborative information-sharing process with Ministry of Social Development to ensure parents and families who were eligible were fast-tracked on the public housing register.