Supporting oranga for disabled people
Our disability strategy.
Over the last two years we have worked alongside tāngata whaikaha who have lived experience of care and protection and/or youth justice services and those who support them to develop an Oranga Tamariki disability strategy.
The strategy has been approved by Te Riu, our leadership team, and we are now focusing on implementation.
Our vision
The mana of disabled people and their champions is upheld by meeting their needs, upholding their rights, and supporting their hopes and dreams.
The 4 shifts needed to achieve our vision
Shift 1: We take a whole of life approach to disability. We understand disability as only one component of who disabled people are and that disability can be a collective experience for disabled people and their champions.
Shift 2: Systems work for people. Disabled people and their champions experience connected, rights based, consistent and transparent, children and disability systems.
Shift 3: We have a disability competent workforce. Our workforce has the skills and expertise, including cultural competency, to work with disabled people and their champions.
Shift 4: Disabled people and their champions are listened to, ensuring we are safe and proactive.
Our 4 activity focus areas
Our implementation activities will focus on the following 4 areas. Completing an activity under any one of these focus areas will help us achieve 2 or more shifts.
Transitions: Transitions include any kind of significant change – such as coming into or leaving care or youth justice, changing placements or schools or returning to whānau. All tamariki and rangatahi in care experience these transitions, but these times are especially significant for disabled children and young people.
Data, research and evaluation: Data on disabled tamariki and rangatahi in care is critical for understanding our national population. It helps us understand what is working and help plan the types and levels of support for the future.
Competency, capacity and capability: Our staff from the frontline to the Chief Executive, and those we contract with, are disability competent. This means that all kaimahi have a baseline level understanding of a social- and rights-based model of disability. They also know where to look for specialist information when it's required.
Caregiving: Caregiving in this context expands thinking about 'caregivers' as a group of people who look after tamariki and rangatahi in the care of the Chief Executive. So, it includes whānau caregivers and those caring for tamariki and rangatahi in residential care settings
Next steps: implementing the strategy
Now that we have an approved disability strategy, we welcome feedback and support to embed it in our everyday ways of working.
Our Disability Advisory Group ensure the stories others shared with us are central to our implementation plan. We want to hear from others if the way we work with disabled people and their champions is changing for the better.
If you want additional information or have any questions email disability.strategy@ot.govt.nz
Working with other ministries
We work with Whaikaha | Ministry of Disabled People to support disabled tamariki, rangatahi, and their whānau.
We share a formal agreement that outlines our work together. This is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). It affirms our shared commitment to improve outcomes of those we support.
The agreement strengthens the work we do together. It ensures each organisation and their staff:
- apply best practices
- understand the support needed by disabled children, youth and their families
- know the processes this work should follow and the policies that underpin them.
Staff from Whaikaha and Oranga Tamariki both helped to create the MoU. It was signed 29 June 2021.
Published: June 2, 2026