Purpose
Children's Teams were established in 2012, and are a community-based initiative, designed to support tamariki and whānau in need of support. The teams sit outside the statutory care and protection system, so engagement is voluntary.
Children's Teams provide support through an integrated approach, where different groups share information, collaboratively assess need, develop a single plan of action, and broker access to required services. This approach reflects an understanding that a single organisation alone cannot protect and promote wellbeing.
This evaluation report summarises a range of information, including qualitative interviews with key stakeholders, and whānau currently or previously involved with Children's Teams. The report also integrates monitoring data and findings from previous evaluations.
Methodology
Part One presents key findings from monitoring data, relating to the timeliness of several Children’s Teams processes, along with tamariki referral and transition information. This information provides useful context regarding who Children’s Teams work with and how they are supported.
Part Two discusses how well Children’s Teams are perceived to be operating on-the-ground, including feedback from whānau and stakeholders regarding the extent to which key outcomes have been achieved, and the difference in opinion between these groups.
Part Three highlights key strengths of the approach. The strengths (along with findings outlined in Part Four) are structured around ‘key success principles’, which reflect what was learnt from Children’s Teams regarding the successful implementation of community-based approaches to supporting at-risk tamariki and whānau.
Part Four outlines challenges delivering the Children’s Teams approach, and identifies associated opportunities for improvement.
Finally, the report’s conclusion summarises evaluation findings and implications for future work.
Key Results
Whānau and stakeholders support the concept of Children’s Teams
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.
There are structural barriers to delivering 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.