Transition Support Service evaluation 2022

Oranga Tamariki established the Transition Support Service (TSS) to provide advice and support for young people leaving care or custody up to the age of 25. This study includes findings from the 3rd annual survey of young people eligible for TSS, as well as perspectives of TSS service providers.

The full evaluation report is accompanied by summary fact sheets.

• We found that since 2019, there has been a steady improvement to how this service is working.
• We found most eligible young people agreed to having a transition worker (82%), thought they made things better for them (81%) and knew how to contact their transition worker if they needed to (72%).
• The study also found that there are ways we can improve the TSS, through helping children and young people with planning to leave care and using Entitlement to Remain or Return (ETRR).

We are already looking at ways to improve the TSS, with:

• Service Delivery developing new resources and training for frontline kaimahi
• an induction package for transition workers to make support requirements clear
• a suite of actions to address issues with housing for young people leaving care including:
  • a review of ETRR
  • increases in Supported Accommodation.

The findings of this survey and the broader evaluation has contributed to the Oranga Tamariki Action Plan cross-agency work and the emergency housing system review that has us working alongside other agencies to support rangatahi to get their accommodation needs met through adult support systems.

Evaluation of the service will continue throughout 2023, and include further engagement with young people, caregivers and service providers with a final evaluation report due by July 2024. This report will focus on outcomes.