The Te Awa (TAU) unit – we are currently not accepting referrals.
It is with sadness that I announce that, due to insufficient Ministry of Education funding, the Northern Health School cannot continue delivering Te Awa services beyond December 31, 2024.
We understand that this decision greatly impacts the vulnerable students who have benefited from Te Awa’s classroom learning and intensive support since 2015.
Despite our best efforts, we could not secure the necessary funding, making it unsustainable to continue.
We are committed to exploring alternative support for these students and will continue to advocate for their needs.
The service
TAU is a partnership between Oranga Tamariki and the Ministry of Education to provide Intensive Wraparound Services to young people in the care of Oranga Tamariki aged between 11 and 17 years old*, at the time of referral, in the Auckland area.
TAU is delivered by the Northern Health School and is located in Penrose, Auckland.
TAU classroom
TAU operates a small classroom onsite at the Penrose location for Rangatahi that are receiving our wraparound service, and not enrolled or engaged in their local school. The purpose of the classroom is to support rangatahi to re-engage in education, in an intensely supported learning environment.
The classroom can accommodate up to 6 young people who may attend for one to two terms while a transition plan is developed to support them to attend their local school.
- *Children younger than the age of 11 may be referred, however special permission from the National Manager – Te Kahu Tōī: Intensive Wraparound Services (Ministry of Education) must be sought
TAU Intensive Wraparound services
Te Kahu Tōī – Intensive wraparound is an evidence based model of care planning, driven by rangatahi and whanau voice and choice. Wraparound uses an ecological approach to working with rangatahi and their whanau which assesses multiple layers of their life (home, school and community). The ecological framework is based on evidence that no single factor can explain the causation of events, behaviours or difficulties for an individual.
One integrated plan is driven and owned by the rangatahi and whanau, that includes supports and interventions across settings (home,school and community).
High fidelity wraparound is a philosophical approach to care planning, guided by a set of underlying principles, a model of delivery and theory of change which make it effective.
Progress is actively monitored and the plan is revised and modified (monthly) if progress is not achieved.
Referring a young person
Referral criteria
- The young person is aged 11 – 17* years at the time of referral and is in the care of Oranga Tamariki (Oranga Tamariki hold a custodial status)
- The young person has behaviour, social and/or learning needs that are highly complex and challenging, and requires support at school, at home, and in the community.
- Local services/ supports have been unable to meet the needs of the tamaiti.
- There is a clear plan to transition the young person back to their home community/ independent living/ place of permanency, (preferably) in Auckland.
*Children younger than 11 years old may be considered with special approval.
Who can refer
All Oranga Tamariki social workers can refer a child/ young person in their care to TAU. NGO providers Youth Horizons and Reconnect can refer, as well as Ministry of Education – Te Kahu Tōī IWS.