The New Zealand National Care Standards (NCS) Regulations came into effect in 2019, and set out the minimum standard of care that must be provided when the state has custody of a child.
Aroturuki Tamariki reports annually on whether agencies with custody and care responsibilities are complying with the NCS Regulations and whether it is making a difference for children and young people in care. We do this by looking at what the data shows and what people tell us they are experiencing.
Experiences of Care in Aotearoa 2024/25 is their fifth full report on compliance with the NCS Regulations. It finds that children and youth are still not receiving the minimum standard of care required by the NCS Regulations.
Oranga Tamariki, Open Home Foundation, Barnardos, and Kōkiri Marae have custody and care responsibilities. Oranga Tamariki had custody of nearly 99 percent of the 5,640 children in care during the 2024/25 reporting period.
