Caregivers asked to have their say
Published: June 11, 2021
Caregivers getting Orphan's Benefit (OB) or Unsupported Child's Benefit (UCB) are being asked how they could be better helped to look after the children or young people in their care.
Oranga Tamariki and Ministry of Social Development (MSD) are today sending out a survey to around 13,000 caregivers who receive either the Orphan’s Benefit (OB) or Unsupported Child’s Benefit (UCB), and who between them look after more than 19,000 children and young people.
The online survey asks caregivers what would help them in their caregiving roles and how they can be supported to look after their tamariki. Filling out this survey will help inform advice to government on:
- what further changes to the financial assistance system are needed to support tamariki to thrive under the protection of their family, whānau, hapū or iwi
- providing more support to caregivers outside of the State care system.
The 2019 review of financial support
The survey follows a 2019 review of financial support, which led to changes to caregiver payments in Budgets 2020 and 2021. These changes were:
- an increase to the base rates of the Orphan’s Benefit and Unsupported Child’s Benefit by $25 per week per child in July 2020
- a further increase to the base rates of the payments of $34.84 per week for children aged 0-4, and by $10 per week for children over five years old (due to begin in April 2022)
- allowing caregivers to get the Orphan’s Benefit or Unsupported Child’s Benefit when they are expecting to care for a child less than one year old (due to begin from 1 July 2021)
- extending Birthday and Holiday Allowances to caregivers receiving the Orphan’s Benefit or Unsupported Child’s Benefit (due to begin in December 2021, for Christmas in 2021 and birthdays from January 2022).
The 2021 OB/UCB caregiver survey
Please note, the survey is only for caregivers getting the Orphan's Benefit, or Unsupported Child's Benefit.
The survey is voluntary and should take caregivers around 20 minutes to complete. It will run until 15 July.
As well as being emailed to caregivers, the survey can be found below.
Caregivers who would prefer a paper copy can phone 0508 326 459.
The survey will be followed by a series of hui around the country in the coming months, giving caregivers a chance to have their say in person.
The survey is anonymous, so caregivers who take part won’t be identified. However they may choose to give their details if they wish to be contacted about hui being held in the next few months to discuss caregiver support.
