This report outlines the findings of an evaluation exploring the implementation and operation of three Children’s Teams - Canterbury, Horowhenua/Ōtaki and Rotorua. Inputs to this report include: qualitative interviews with key stakeholders, and whānau currently or previously involved with the teams; monitoring data relating to the timeliness of key Children’s Teams processes, along with referral and transition information; and findings from past evaluation reports.

Since their establishment, a total of 2171 referrals have been made to the three evaluation sites. Most of these referrals (82%) were subsequently accepted by Children’s Teams. As of April 2018, 460 tamariki were still engaged, while 1327 had transitioned from the teams. Of those no longer engaged, 46% had a planned exit, 15% were escalated to a statutory care and protection response, 17% disengaged, and 21% had some other exit status. On average, tamariki with a planned exit engaged with Children’s Teams for just over a year.

Feedback suggests that the fundamental concept of the Children’s Teams model is sound, particularly the direct support provided to whānau by Lead Professionals. Whānau reported an excellent experience with the teams overall, which was associated with relationship-based support and enhanced access to required services. Stakeholders also acknowledged these areas of strength, and expressed strong conceptual support for the model.

Beyond front-line engagement, feedback from stakeholders highlights several challenges to successfully delivering the Children’s Teams approach. Stakeholders identified implementation, process and community-level issues, which constitute structural barriers to the teams’ successful operation, and challenge their ability to support tamariki and whānau. Many of these findings are reflected in past evaluation reports and monitoring data.

Overall, this feedback highlights opportunities to improve how Children’s Teams function and indicates introducing a new operating model would be beneficial. This model should be responsive to the range of structural barriers identified. Efforts to undertake this work can be usefully informed by the following success principles, identified through this evaluation. These principles also highlight key lessons from Children’s Teams, which can contribute to developing a new Oranga Tamariki early intervention function. (From the Executive summary). Record #6207