Briefing Note: Increase in Reports of Concern (ROCs) – Oranga Tamariki Report (30 June 2025)

Oranga Tamariki has recently released its analysis regarding the 34.5% year-on-year rise in reports of concern (ROC), during the first quarter of 2025. Although the report did not provide a definitive explanation for this increase, they did try to quantify the changes in practice that may have significantly contributed to this trend.

The bulk of the 34.5% increase was attributed to practice changes in how concerns are recorded (24%); 5% potentially linked to Enabling Communities model (Waikato/BOP), remaining 5.5% attributed to external factors like worsening conditions for families under stress due to high unemployment and high costs of living. This is likely to be overstated due to changes in recording ROCs arising from the Ombudsman recommendations that they could not quantify.

Arising out of the report are indication of System Pressures and Concerns, with

• OT not meeting response targets for Critical (24 hrs) and Very Urgent (48 hrs) ROCs.

• Compliance with response targets declined from 89% to 86% (target is 95%).

• OT sites using their time to reclassify ROCs to manage workload rather than visiting Tamariki and whanau (This was raised by the Independent Children’s Monitor).

• No resulting increase in FGCs from the large increase in ROCs but concerns that hui-a-whānau being used to manage budgets.

• No metric available on hui-a-whānau numbers.

Oranga Tamariki reported the following Changes in Reporting Practices

  • Renotifications increased as a result of a policy change in July 2024, where additional ROCs about the same Tamariki are now recorded as a separate ROC rather than a case note as previously, artificially increasing number of ROCs and percentage increase.

  • ‘Additional Information’ entries (where another notifier may add more information about another event on enquiry from OT) are now logged as separate ROCs, with 24% of ROC increase due to this change.  

Tamariki Demographics and Regional Data

  • ROC increases across all age/ethnic groups – proportions stable.

  • Highest ROC age group: 10–13 years, followed by 6–9 years and 2–5 years

  • Te Tai Tokerau ROC volume increased from ~500 to ~600/month.