Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 2024, 36(1), 149-155

Practice frameworks are a well-established mechanism for practice reform and a growing body of literature attests to this promise. Surprisingly then, little is known about how they are intended to, or indeed, work on the ground. This practice note introduces Oranga Tamariki’s new practice framework and explains how this sets out and explains our new practice approach—driving a needed paradigm shift away from risk saturation toward ecological understandings of oranga (wellbeing), promoting te ao Māori principles and supported by the social work discipline, to benefit all tamariki, children, whānau and families we work with. We are proudly (re)positioning and promoting social work in, and for, Aotearoa New Zealand’s child welfare statutory offer. This is just and right for families, whānau and their tamariki. This practice note highlights how the practice framework promotes the ANZASW codes of ethics and SWRB practice competencies while enabling and driving sound and ethical professional practice. Consequently, social work practice is then delivered, experienced, led and quality assured based on the discipline of social work and not on risk-aversive reactions to practice tragedies or the volumes of technocratic policies and procedures that too quickly become outdated. (Author's abstract). Record #8633