Feathers In the Wind: The Need for Culturally Safe Trauma-Informed Care in Oranga Tamariki Care and Protection Residences and Group Homes in Aotearoa

This qualitative study examines the under-researched area of trauma and trauma-informed care in Oranga Tamariki care and protection residences and group homes. Compared to international standards, Aotearoa continues to use a high level of secure residential care despite significant issues and harm associated with this type of care. Rangatahi Māori are consistently over-represented in care and protection residences (57%) due to the ongoing impacts of colonisation. Young people in care and protection residences and group homes experience disproportionately high rates of trauma and present with the most complex mental health needs in Aotearoa. International research also highlights the prevalence of extensive trauma for young people in residential care. In 2017, Oranga Tamariki stated their intention to develop a trauma-informed system-wide framework. In 2021, Oranga Tamariki announced their plan to close care and protection residences, replace them with community-based group homes and develop a therapeutic model of care. This research examined to what extent trauma-informed care is currently implemented in Oranga Tamariki policies, models of care and practice in care and protection residences and group homes.

The research used a Community-Based Participatory Methodology and gathered the voices of care-experienced youth and practice-experienced key informants through semi-structured interviews. Reflexive Thematic Analysis was used to analyse the data in collaboration with a Māori researcher. Findings show that residences continue to operate and there is little evidence of a trauma-informed model of care having been implemented in care and protection residences and group homes. This research highlights how exposure to the care and protection system actively creates accumulative trauma for young people. This research advocates for the development and implementation of a culturally safe trauma-informed model of care to meet the needs of youth in the care and protection system. It also identifies the need for a whole of government and community approach to transform the wider state care system.