Dear Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children,

Subject: Official Information Request – Detailed Statistics on Reasons for Missing Children Under 16

Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request the following information regarding children under the age of 16 reported missing in New Zealand over the past five years (from 2020 to 2024):

1. Annual Statistics:

Total number of children under 16 reported missing each year.

Breakdown by age groups (e.g., 0–4, 5–9, 10–13, 14–15).

Breakdown by gender.

2. Categorized Reasons for Disappearance:

Number of cases attributed to each of the following categories:

Exposure to parental substance abuse (e.g., drugs, alcohol).

Family violence or domestic abuse.

Neglect or inadequate supervision.

Family separation or custody disputes.

Other specified reasons (please detail).

3. State Care Involvement:

Number of missing children who were in the care or custody of Oranga Tamariki at the time of disappearance.

Breakdown of reasons for disappearance among children in state care.

4. Recovery Data:

Number of children recovered each year.

Average duration of absence before recovery.

Number of cases remaining unresolved each year.

5. Preventative Measures and Protocols:

Description of current protocols and procedures followed when a child is reported missing.

Preventative measures in place to reduce the incidence of missing children.

Support services provided to recovered children and their families.

Please provide the information in electronic format. If any part of my request is unclear or requires refinement, I am happy to discuss further.

Thank you for your assistance.

Yours faithfully,
Yasir Shaikh