OIA-CE-2025- 02940
13 June 2025

Dan Tasman
[FYI request #31041 email]

Tēnā koe Dan

Thank you for your email, received on 20 May 2025, to Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for
Children (Oranga Tamariki) requesting documents and information around the use of
methamphetamine and Oranga Tamariki involvement in the Northland region. Your
request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).

You have requested:

Copies of any internal reports, policy documents, or regional planning materials
that  address  the  impact  of  methamphetamine  use  on  child  safety,  whānau
wellbeing, or care and protection concerns in Northland, dated from 1 January
2022 to the present.

Methamphetamine use by parents, or sometime by young people, is linked to harm to
children, and can be a contributing reason why Oranga Tamariki become involved with
families. Our Practice guidance around the impact of the use of methamphetamine
can be found here. The Oranga Tamariki Evidence Centre has drawn together the
information  we  hold  relating  to  methamphetamine  as  factor  in  the  decision  when
placing a child into the care of the Oranga Tamariki Chief Executive. Please see here
for this information.

No specific reports, policy documents, or regional planning materials that address the
impact  of  methamphetamine  use  on  child  safety,  whānau  wellbeing,  or  care  and
protection concerns in Northland exist have been identified. As such, this part of your
request is refused under section 18(e) of the Act as the documents alleged to contain
the information requested do not exist.

Any information on programmes or services funded or delivered by Oranga
Tamariki in Northland that specifically aim to reduce methamphetamine-related
harm or support affected children and their families.

Oranga Tamariki does not fund programmes or services for children and families in
the Northland region that are specifically aimed at reducing methamphetamine-related
harm. However, if Oranga Tamariki are involved, we wil  refer children and/or family
members to addiction support services when needed, and may advocate on behalf of

IN-CONFIDENCE

whānau  experiencing  methamphetamine-related  harm  to  access  external
organisations for the appropriate support.

Details of any inter-agency work with NZ Police, Health NZ, Ministry of Education,
or local iwi and community organisations addressing methamphetamine harm in
the region.

When the need for professional intervention to address harmful  methamphetamine
use is identified by Oranga Tamariki, we wil  refer to the appropriate health services
for support and develop protective plans for children with families. These plans may
be created at a Family Group Conference or be monitored by the Family Court, and
commonly draw on the expertise of, or involve servicers from, agencies such as Health
NZ, the Ministry of Education and Police, and from community and Iwi providers. We
are not aware of an inter-agency health initiative involving Police, Health NZ, Ministry
of Education, or local iwi and community organisations, that operates specifically to
address methamphetamine harm in Northland.

Oranga Tamariki may make the information contained in this letter available to the
public by publishing this on our website with your personal details removed.

I  trust  you  find  this  information  useful.  Should  you  have  any  concerns  with  this
response, I would encourage you to raise them with Oranga Tamariki. Alternatively,
you  are  advised  of  your  right  to  also  raise  any  concerns  with  the  Office  of  the
Ombudsman. Information about this is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
or by contacting them on 0800 802 602.

Nāku noa, nā

Simon Harding
Chief Advisor Tamariki and Whānau Services

Document Outline