A new approach developed by Wesley Community Action to support the caregivers of young people with high support needs in Oranga Tamariki care is making life better for everyone involved – the tamariki and rangatahi, their caregivers and their Oranga Tamariki social workers.
A recent evaluation of theTe Waka Kotahi: Intensive Caregivers Support (ICS) approach has found that it has led to significantly more stable placements, better school attendance, happier and more confident caregivers and fewer emergency calls for social workers.
“Oh mate – I’m a lot nicer!” one caregiver said. “Me and my daughter, how we sort things is a lot calmer and it’s so much nicer in my house.”
We developed the ICS approach after attending a Creative HQ GovtTech accelerator programme in 2022. Through this process the team identified their goal – to help stop tamariki / rangatahi being bounced around the care system and therefore be able to support them to make positive change and be a circuit breaker for their intergenerational trauma.
Under the ICS approach, which started in September 2024, two skilled and experienced Wesley whānau workers (Kevin Jones and Ollie Adams) provide one-to-one support to caregivers of tamariki / rangatahi aged 5 to 18 with high levels of support needs. Between September 2024 and the end of June 2025 Kevin and Ollie worked alongside 15 caregivers, of whom 6 were interviewed for the evaluation report.
They visit caregivers in their own homes for six months, providing a safe space for honest discussion and realistic advice. Their approach is trauma-informed, addressing the intergenerational trauma of both the young people and their caregivers.
The ICS approach is underpinned by our many years of providing specialist foster care, both in-home and at a residential whare in Tawa. We eventually realised that we could be more effective by supporting existing caregivers rather than overseeing our own foster-care programme.
One of the most significant findings of the evaluation report is the dramatic increase in placement stability, with caregivers saying it had increased from an average rating of 2.3/10 to 10/10. Stable placements are consistent, nurturing and secure.
All the caregivers reported strongly that engaging with ICS has improved their wellbeing, and their ability to continue to provide safe and loving care for their tamariki / rangatahi.
“At the end of the conversation with Kevin I am going back to my young person with a smile on my face,” one said.
Oranga Tamariki social workers interviewed for the evaluation also reported significantly fewer emergency calls and greater caregiver confidence in managing challenging behaviours which has had benefits for the young people.
“Because the caregivers feel less stressed, and are better able to manage, the placements are more stable, and this has positive impacts – for example, school attendance is better because, for example, the kids are not running away, or there’s no harm incidents happening,“ one Oranga Tamariki social worker told our researchers.
Our director David Hanna says the results of the evaluation report are very pleasing and highlight the skills and commitment of caregivers.
“We value the partnership and confidence that Oranga Tamariki has shown in Wesley,” he says. “I believe that growing this service will deliver savings by reducing the number of placements breaking down and demands on Oranga Tamariki social workers. The current demand already exceeds the capacity.”
Download a copy of the evaluation report