Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki launched 1 April 2017

The Ministry for Vulnerable Children Oranga Tamariki began operating on 1 April 2017.

The new Ministry incorporates Child Youth and Family (CYF), some Ministry of Social Development and Community Investment functions, and the Children’s Action Plan Directorate, including Children’s Teams, Vulnerable Kids Information System (ViKI) and the Vulnerable Children’s Hub.

The five core services of the Ministry for Vulnerable Children Oranga Tamariki will be developed and rolled out over the next four years, in four stages:

• Stage one: transitioning existing services and support to the new Ministry and progressing the design and delivery of a suite of ‘early enhancements’ 
• Stage two: implementation of Care Support and Transition Support services
• Stage three: implementation of Youth Justice and Intensive Intervention services 
• Stage four: implementation of Prevention services

The Ministry of Social Development provides more detailed information about changes that occured immediately on 1 April 2017, including:

• care and protection services will include 17 year olds
• centralised oversight and coordination of the feedback and complaints process; information to support children and young people giving feedback; ability to give feedback or raise concerns online
• strengthened obligations to support children’s and young people’s participation
• launch of the new child and youth advocacy service VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai
• a new organisational structure with new regional boundaries 
• new leadership roles, including a Deputy Chief Executive (DCE) for Tamariki Advocate and General Managers Māori and a similar role focused on Pacific children
• new branding, website and email addresses. (The new website replaces the CYF, Community Investment and Children's Action Plan websites.)

For more information see the MSD website on the Investing in Children Programme.

‍

Background

Minister Anne Tolley announced the new ministry last year as part of reforms to child protection services. See the previous NZFVC stories for background information:

• ‍Minister indicates rethink on Māori children in care; Select Committee hears submissions, March 2017‍
• Closing date extended for submissions on child protection bill; Māori continue to raise concerns, February 2017‍
• Treaty claim lodged on move away from whānau, hapū, iwi placements for children in care, December 2016‍
• "Ministry for Vulnerable Children" name criticised as replacement for Child, Youth and Family, August 2016‍
• Government announces reforms to Child, Youth and Family, April 2016