Oranga Tamariki ‘shambolic’, ‘unprofessional’, leaving frontline workers in limbo

Tuesday, 16 July 2024

Hundreds of care organisations left in limbo by Oranga Tamariki are facing uncertain futures, as the children’s ministry failed to renew their contracts without explanation, or cut contracts with little notice.

Days before more than 1000 contracts ended on June 30, providers were still in the dark as to whether their contracts would be renewed.

The contracts ranged from counselling, youth programmes, support for vulnerable families, sexual violence prevention, aspects of foster care funding and support for young people leaving care.

Usually negotiations begin months before, with contracts finalised around May. Wind-down provisions and transitioning clients are expected if the contract is not renewed.

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Hours before the long Matariki weekend, in which the contract end date fell, generic emails were sent to providers either informing them their contracts would not be renewed with no mention of transitioning clients, or informing them their contracts would be renewed, but without any details of funding levels.

Oranga Tamariki declined to say how many contracts were discontinued, so The Post went directly to 150 providers. We were unable to find a single provider that had finalised a renewed contract with Oranga Tamariki.

Nikki Hurst, executive officer of the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services, said there was “no certainty for many, many, many providers, but more importantly, a massive of lack of clarity”.

There was a high level of distress in the sector, as they quickly tried to find solutions “in pretty tiny windows”.

“Some of those choices will result in children having to be moved to another service. But in a lot of communities there is no other service to go to.”

Many providers were scared to talk publicly - worried about the implications on future funding, and the effects of uncertainty on children and families they work with.

One organisation that works with very vulnerable children received a 15 to 20% funding cut - it’s now facing hard decisions about what to do as the demand for intensive support has ramped up.

“Our work is frontline. There is nothing indirect about our work,” the organisation’s spokesperson said.

They said there would be implications - at the very least not being able to fill vacancies - and most likely a reduction in their workforce.

They described the process as “unreasonable”, “shambolic” and “unprofessional”.

Another provider who carries out preventative work for at-risk children found out their contract would not be renewed only hours before Matariki weekend began. That meant funding for the work was stopped by Monday.

It was suggested to another provider that directly helps young people to accept no more clients until the new contract was confirmed. They had not heard back from Oranga Tamariki since the email in June.

“I believe the communication has been poor and much too slow, and created significant stress for us, which is ongoing until we hear details of any potential contract,” a person who runs the organisation said.

Nikki Hurst said the solutions “are relatively limited when it really just does come down to a funding question. We're seeing, where they can, support from the wider philanthropic community. But the philanthropic community doesn't exist to backfill government obligation to society.

“We're taking away the supports that are needed to ensure that some of our children have as much of an opportunity as other children.”

Chief executive Belinda Himiona of Social Service Providers, which represents community-based providers, said the situation was not normal and there was widespread worry.

“We've seen a number of services that have lost the funding… they’re frontline services.

“Some services have lost all funding, and when that occurred, it was often with a very limited notice.

“We're talking about a number of hours here until services were discontinued.”

Labour’s children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said the situation was disrespectful to those doing “crucial work on the ground”.

“It means that less children will be getting the help that they need. And there's a real risk that more of them will fall through the cracks and these community providers are unquestionably providing frontline services to our children.”

The Post went to Oranga Tamariki on Friday afternoon asking for a response for this story. It had been over two weeks since some providers had heard from them.

Just over an hour later, another generic email from Oranga Tamariki was sent to providers giving “assurance that we have been working at pace”.

It said new outcome agreements were expected to be “in place” by the end of July. Providers generally have to go back and forth with the ministry and its board before the contracts can be signed.

Darrin Haimona, deputy chief executive (communities and investment), said OT acknowledges “there may be feelings of uncertainty for some of our providers as we work through this process”.

“We are currently working through finalising the new terms and conditions, these will set out the roles, responsibilities, and obligations of both providers and Oranga Tamariki in a clearer and more consistent way.”

Children’s Minister Karen Chhour said she knew it was a stressful time for providers, “but I support the shift to clearer outcome agreements”.

“I understand Oranga Tamariki are working at pace but they assure me they are also working with transparency and good faith.”