Unassigned OT social workers a distress signal for child mental health

The backlog of more than 1,300 at-risk children currently without an assigned social worker is a stark warning that vulnerable children are being left without vital support.

So says the NZ Association of Counsellors (NZAC), which believes that recent changes to Oranga Tamariki contracts could make matters worse.

NZAC President Sarah Maindonald says every child without a social worker is a child left without a safety net.

“The longer the delay, the more harm is done emotionally, mentally, and sometimes physically. Many of these tamariki are living in households already under enormous pressure from the cost of living.

“Delaying support will only compound the trauma.”

NZAC believes recent government decisions to restructure funding contracts for prevention and early intervention services may have inadvertently weakened community safety nets.

These changes, announced in 2024, affected a number of NGO providers, some of which employed counsellors working directly with children and whānau in need.

“We’re already seeing the ripple effects,” Maindonald says.

“When community providers lose funding or contracts change hands, the continuity of care breaks down. Trusted relationships are lost. Whole teams are disbanded.

“That impacts not just social workers, but counsellors, family support workers, and others in the child wellbeing space.”

While NZAC acknowledges the pressures Oranga Tamariki faces, it is calling on the Government to revisit the funding and contracting changes, particularly those that shifted support away from trusted community providers and whānau-centred models.

“The system is clearly under strain, but that’s precisely why it’s time to invest in the people and services that support our tamariki. That includes social workers and counsellors alike.”

Maindonald also warns that without an increasing capacity to provide effective early intervention, demand on frontline services funded by Oranga Tamariki will only continue to grow.

“This isn’t just about bureaucracy. It’s about kids who need someone in their corner. And right now, too many are going without.”