Dear Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children,

Pursuant to the Official Information Act 1982, I respectfully request the following information regarding the handling of Notices of Concern:

1. What are the internal criteria and thresholds for determining whether a Notice of Concern leads to direct engagement or interviews with a child?

2. How does Oranga Tamariki assess the credibility and urgency of a Notice of Concern before contacting or interviewing the child or family?

3. What are the official guidelines or protocols for notifying the child’s legal guardians before any interview or contact takes place?

4. Under what circumstances is it considered acceptable to approach a child without the prior knowledge or consent of their legal guardian?

5. What safeguards are in place to prevent repeated or malicious Notices of Concern, particularly in the context of family court disputes?

6. How many Notices of Concern were received by Oranga Tamariki over the past 3 years, and how many of those were:

6a. Found to be substantiated,

6b. Found to be unsubstantiated, or

6c. Found to be malicious or baseless?

7. What is Oranga Tamariki’s current policy regarding:

7a. Apology or reparation when a notice is found to be unfounded?

7b. Addressing cultural and religious accommodation requests (e.g. requesting a culturally aligned social worker)?

Please provide this information electronically. If parts of the request require extended time or clarification, I’m happy to refine the scope.

Kind regards,

Yasir Shaikh

Dear Oranga Tamariki OIA Team,

Thank you for acknowledging my Official Information Act

8. What is the process for verifying the identity or intent of a **notifier** when the report of concern is **anonymous or marked confidential**?

9. Are **notices of concern cross-referenced** with previous assessments or case histories **before** initiating interviews or engagement?

10. What internal accountability mechanisms are in place to **prevent repeated unnecessary investigations** into the same family within a 12-month period?

11. What training or procedural guidance is provided to social workers regarding:

* **Cultural safety**,
* **Religious accommodation**,
* **Bias in family court disputes**?

12. Does Oranga Tamariki maintain a database of **malicious or unfounded reports** (even if the notifier is protected)?

13. What protections exist to prevent **repeated interference** with tamariki and caregivers in cases where **previous concerns were closed with no findings**?

14. Are social workers **required to inform parents in writing** of the category (e.g. emotional, physical, neglect) of the concern **before** interviewing a child?

15. What is the policy on:

* **Notifying caregivers of closed or resolved notices**, and
* **Providing a formal closure letter or apology** in cases found to be unsubstantiated?

16. What monitoring is done at a national or regional level to identify **misuse of the reporting process** — particularly in family breakdown, custody disputes, or where a parent has a history of using state services strategically?

17. Are there any statistics on:

* The number of **repeated notices filed against the same caregiver or household**?
* How many of these lead to **subsequent findings**?

18. What support is available to **parents/caregivers** who have been subject to **multiple unfounded reports** — emotionally, legally, or financially?

19. What is the process and criteria used when assigning a **culturally aligned or faith-based social worker**, when specifically requested by the family?

20. Is there a formal appeals process for caregivers who wish to **challenge the handling of a notice of concern**, or seek **reparation** after it is found unsubstantiated?

Please let me know if these additional questions will be considered under the same request or require a new reference. I am happy to work with your team if any clarification is needed.

Kind regards,
Yasir Shaikh