IN-CONFIDENCE
RESIDENCE GRIEVANCE PANELS
POSITION PROFILE AND INFORMATION BRIEF
Title:
Residence Grievance Panel Member
Location:
Residence within the panellists region
Accountable to:
Minister for Children, through Oranga Tamariki–Ministry for Children
Accountable for:
Oversight and monitoring of the Grievance Process at Oranga Tamariki Youth
Residences
Hours of Work:
5 – 10 hours per month
Remuneration:
$360 – $499 per 8 hour day pro rata
Term of Office
Terms of office are open-ended and at the discretion of the Minister for Children. A
tenure review is carried out within the first three years of appointment and every two
years thereafter
ORANGA TAMARIKI RESIDENCE GRIEVANCE PANELS
Oranga Tamariki
Residential services provided by the Oranga Tamariki–Ministry for Children are a
Residences
serious intervention in the lives of children and young people. Care and Protection
placements are made for children and young people who require an intensive care
environment. Youth Justice placements are for young people who have been
remanded by the Court into the custody of the Chief Executive because they are not
able to be safely placed in the community, or for young people who have been
sentenced to Supervision with Residence through the Youth Court. A residential
placement is only considered when no safe community alternative is available.
Oranga Tamariki, operate nine residences around the country (Auckland (2),
Palmerston North, Rotorua, Wellington, Christchurch (3) and Dunedin). Residences
provide a safe and secure environment, while providing both individual and group
programmes for residents. Programmes focus on individual change and growth
through specialist education services, programmes targeted to individual needs,
clinical services, cultural programmes and physical activities. Every child or young
person placed in a residence has an individual care plan which is jointly developed
through field social workers, families and residential social workers. In the case of
young persons admitted in terms of a sentence of Supervision with Residence, the
plan is approved by the Youth Court.
Residence
Each residence has in place a grievance procedure as set out in the Oranga Tamariki
Grievance Panels
(Residential Care) Regulations 1996. The grievance procedure provides an essential
forum for young people to articulate their concerns and to have their complaints dealt
with fairly to ensure that Oranga Tamariki meets its legal obligations to provide a safe
and rehabilitative environment for young people. Every child and young person placed
in a residence has the right to access the grievance procedure to lodge a grievance
and the right to advocacy.
A Grievance Panel is appointed to oversee grievances lodged as part of this
procedure. Each panel member is appointed by the Minister for Children on the
nomination of the Chief Executive of Oranga Tamariki, following consultation with
the
Principal Youth Court Judge, the Principal Family Court Judge, and the Children’s
Commissioner. Each panel also includes a tangata whenua member from the area in
which the residence is situated.
Position Description 02 February 2021– Residence Grievance Panel Member
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IN-CONFIDENCE
Function and
•
Monitor compliance with the grievance process.
duties of the
•
Grievance Panel
Conduct reviews that have been referred to the Grievance Panel in accordance
with the outlined procedures.
•
Conduct reviews of any decisions made by the residence manager with regards
to grievances made to them by a child or young person in the residence.
•
Provide a quarterly report in writing including information on:
-
compliance with the grievance procedure
-
reviews or investigations carried out in the previous quarter.
•
Reports at other times as deemed appropriate.
•
Investigate any grievances made regarding the Residence Manager.
•
Facilitate the residents’ knowledge of the grievance process.
•
Any other functions imposed on it by the grievance procedure.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
Key Stakeholders
•
Children’s Commissioner
•
Principal Youth and Family Court Judges
•
Chief Executive, Oranga Tamariki
Key Functional
•
Children and young people in residential care
Relationships
•
Other grievance panel members
•
Residence manager, Oranga Tamariki
•
Residence staff, Oranga Tamariki
•
National Grievance Panel Co-ordinator, Oranga Tamariki
•
Residence Grievance Co-ordinator, Oranga Tamariki
•
External advocates
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Desired knowledge,
•
An understanding and appreciation of tikanga Māori, and commitment to
skills and attributes
improve outcomes for Māori.
•
Ability to relate effectively to children and young people so that their
understanding of the grievance process is strong and accurate.
•
Ability to communicate, interact with and develop effective relationships with a
wide range of people in different situations.
•
Ability to provide direction and leadership to others and work cooperatively to
maximise the effectiveness of a team and achieve group objectives
.
•
Ability to follow procedures consistently to maintain the integrity of the
grievance process.
•
Experience in report writing and the ability to produce good quality written
work in a timely manner. Good level of literacy, numeracy and computer
literacy skills, including the ability to use word processing and spread-sheet
software; as well as the ability to readily up- skill computer skills as and when
Position Description 02 February 2021– Residence Grievance Panel Member
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IN-CONFIDENCE
required.
•
Ability to analyse or investigate a matter where needed, applying good
judgement to resolve an issue.
•
Knowledge of, and the ability to apply, the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989, the
Oranga Tamariki (Residential Care) Regulations 1996 and other relevant
legislation.
•
Ability to differentiate between an advocacy role for an individual and the role
of a grievance panellist, which upholds the integrity of the voice of the child
through the grievance process.
•
Strong track record of honesty and integrity and the ability to model these
attributes to the children and young people.
HOURS OF WORK AND REMUNERATION
Hours of Work
The role of Grievance Panel Member does not have predetermined hours of work.
It is estimated that panel members will spend approximately 5 – 10 hours per month
carrying out their duties, depending on the size of the residence. The amount of time
spent engaging
in panel duties may fluctuate depending on what, if any, issues arise
in relation to the oversight of the grievance process.
Remuneration
Grievance Panel members are paid fees in accordance with the Cabinet Fees
Framework. The rate of remuneration is $360 per day pro rata for a panel member
and $499 per day pro rata for the panel Chair. Grievance Panels operate on the basis
of a rotational Chair.
Grievance Panel members are also able to claim reasonable travel related expenses.
Grievance Panel members are required to submit payment claim invoices.
APPOINTMENTS
Expressions of
Nominations and expressions of interest are welcome at any time so that a pool of
Interest
Grievance Panellists is available as and when vacancies arise.
Nominations and expressions of interest should be made by sending a cover letter
and current CV to [email address].
Process
Expressions of Interest from within the community and candidate nominations from
Cabinet are sought for consideration.
Potential candidates are asked to complete a pre-appointment disclosure, consent
and declaration form.
Representatives from the Ministry and the Office of the Children’s Commissioner are
involved in the selection process. The selection process includes short listing and an
interview process from which the preferred applicants are identified.
Police and referee checks, and consultation with the key stakeholders is completed.
Each panel member is appointed by the Minister for Children. The Minister’s intention
to appoint a Grievance Panel member is notified to Cabinet through the Cabinet
Appointments and Honours Committee.
Position Description 02 February 2021– Residence Grievance Panel Member
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IN-CONFIDENCE
Tangata Whenua
The legislation states that each Grievance Panel will consist of at least one tangata
member
whenua member from the area in which the Residence is situated.
Local iwi are asked to identify suitable representatives for nomination. A letter of
endorsement from the local iwi confirming the nomination is required.
Once identified, the nominee is then required to undergo the same appointment
process as non-tangata whenua representatives.
Timeframe for
Once a preferred candidate is identified for a vacancy, the timeline for appointment
appointment
can take between three to six months, dependant on the rate of completion for each
stage of the process.
Resignations
Panel members can resign at any time. Should a panel member wish to resign, a
letter of resignation should be send to the National Grievance Panel Coordinator at
[email address].
Position Description 02 February 2021– Residence Grievance Panel Member
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