Too often, takatāpui and rainbow rangatahi living in state care are not safe and supported in their identities, have unmet needs for healthcare and social support, and experience abuse in care.

Research has found that takatāpui and rainbow young people are more likely to have involvement with Oranga Tamariki and the state care system than their peers. Those who have lived in state care are more likely to face health and social inequities compared with others in care, and compared with their peers who are takatāpui or rainbow but don’t have experience of state care.

Oranga Tamariki has responsibility to “ensure that all tamariki or children are in loving whānau or families and communities where oranga tamariki can be realised”, and is legally required to take a holistic approach that sees the whole person, including their gender identity and sexual orientation. Work is needed to transform our state care system to meet these obligations for takatāpui and rainbow young people.

We’ve shared some resources below for people working to improve the state care system, and for those supporting people who have lived in state care. The links at the end of this page are for rainbow people in care or with care experience, and their whānau and friends.

 

For decision makers and policy writers

If you’re designing services, or developing policies or plans related to Oranga Tamariki and the state care system, these reports will help you understand the issues and needs for rainbow communities. You can also get in touch with us for advice.

 
 

  • Making Ourselves Visible was commissioned by Oranga Tamariki. It was developed by Point and Associates and a community design team, supported by Tīwhanawhana. Moira was part of the community design team.

    • Watch our launch webinar, including a presentation about the research.

    • The research shares in-depth experiences that back up insights from other quantitative research and community experience: too often, takatāpui and rainbow rangatahi in care are not safe and supported in their identities, don’t have their needs met for healthcare and social support, and experience abuse in care.

    • The takatāpui and rainbow rangatahi we talked to also shared that when they were supported and loved, even by just one adult, it was life changing.

    • The report includes a series of recommendations for Oranga Tamariki to comprehensively transform care systems by prioritising cultural safety, inclusive practice, and upholding the mana and self-determination of takatāpui and rainbow rangatahi.

    • Oranga Tamariki has accepted the report’s recommendations and is working on a plan to address them, including recruiting three new staff to lead this work. More about Oranga Tamariki’s response.

  • The health and wellbeing of takatāpui and rainbow young people who have been involved with Oranga Tamariki (part of the Youth19 study) found that:

    • across a large population sample of secondary school aged young people, takatāpui and rainbow rangatahi were more likely to have had involvement with Oranga Tamariki than their cis-heterosexual peers.

    • takatāpui and rainbow young people who had ever been involved with Oranga Tamariki faced significant inequities across multiple areas of life including housing and material deprivation, safety at home, quality of family relationships, physical wellbeing, sexual health, mental health, school safety, community inclusion and safety.

    • across almost all measures, care-experienced takatāpui and rainbow young people were worse off than their takatāpui and rainbow peers who had never been involved with Oranga Tamariki, with cis-heterosexual peers who had experience with Oranga Tamariki, and with cis-heterosexual peers without this experience.

  • The Identify Survey of rainbow young people found that:

    • a relatively high proportion of participants (10%) had ever been involved with Oranga Tamariki.

    • Māori had higher rates of involvement than Pākehā (18% vs. 9%)

    • a higher proportion of trans boys and men (16%) and non-binary people (12%) reported involvement than participants of other gender modalities.

    • rainbow young people with state care experience were more likely to have experienced conversion practices than their rainbow peers (read more about conversion practices).

  • Just Sayin’ survey: Understanding the transition needs of rainbow young people looked at the experiences of rainbow people transitioning out of Oranga Tamariki care in 2021. Results included:

    • rainbow young people were over-represented in care (19% of respondents had rainbow identities).

    • as well as facing disadvantages associated with state care experience, rainbow young people face discrimination and marginalisation due to their sexual orientation and gender identities which result in poor health and wellbeing outcomes.

    • among survey respondents, a higher proportion of rainbow young people were disabled (73%) and self-assessed their taha hinengaro (mental wellbeing) as poor or fair (52%).

    • results pointed to the importance of understanding the support needs of rainbow young people while in care and transitioning from care. This could include ensuring they have access to support from social workers and transition workers who either are rainbow-identified themselves or understand the needs of rainbow people.

    • a fact sheet from the 2022 study updated these results and found that rainbow young people are not receiving the same levels of support through transition as non-rainbow young people.

  • In 2019, Moana Jackson presented findings from He Whaipaanga Hou – A New Approach to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. His statement included these words (we’ve added the emphasis):

    • “I would also like to add that among those 600, were 44 who identified as Takatāpui, gay or transgender. Over half of those were also placed in care and all of those Takatāpui were abused in care as children. Their treatment or mistreatment in care was part of their almost inevitable progression into prison. Many of them are still comparatively young and suffered abuse in institutions after 1999. It was a matter of concern that they may not have had the opportunity to tell their stories to this Commission. It is my earnest hope that the Commission will exercise its discretion in a helpful way to address the abuse suffered by those victims.”

  • Rainbow children in care: understanding how Oranga Tamariki can better support rainbow children and youth is a 2023 literature review published by the Oranga Tamariki Evidence Centre, looking at the needs and experiences of rainbow children and youth in care (within Aotearoa and overseas), and opportunities for improvement in the state care system.




For social service workers supporting rainbow people

If you’re thinking about how to improve your service’s responsiveness to rainbow young people, our evaluate tool is a great place to start.


For rainbow people and their whānau

If you’re looking for help for yourself or someone you’re supporting or working with, these are places you can contact: