Ngāi Tahu partnership

In November 2018 Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Oranga Tamariki signed an agreement to work together where Ngāi Tahu tamariki are concerned.

Ngāi Tahu want to care for their own tamariki, and Oranga Tamariki is working alongside the iwi to realise that aspiration.

Ngāi Tahu is one of several iwi and kaupapa Māori organisations who have Whānau Care partnerships with Oranga Tamariki.

The aspiration of Ngāi Tahu, which we share, is that Ngāi Tahu mokopuna are placed with whānau first, then hapū and iwi. Ngāi Tahu recruit whānau, hapū and iwi caregivers to provide safe and loving homes to Ngāi Tahu mokopuna.

A new model of care co-designed by Ngāi Tahu and Oranga Tamariki, Tiaki Taoka, is a programme that sits alongside Te Kāika, a community healthcare hub based in Ōtepoti.

Tiaki Taoka enables Oranga Tamariki to work alongside Ngāi Tahu in building the capability of whakapapa caregivers to serve Ngāi Tahu whānau and mokopuna in care. Tiaki Taoka differs from existing services by ensuring that whānau input is woven throughout the entire process.