In recent months, community-based social service providers have continued their tireless efforts to support their communities and hapori, despite the uncertainty of their future and the challenges posed by a lack of communication and information from their critical funding partner Oranga Tamariki.

“Right now, there’s a clear risk to frontline services for children and whānau. At the heart of all community-based social service work are the children, rangatahi, whānau, and communities we support,” says Belinda Himiona, CEO of Te Pai Ora SSPA, “across the country, the needs of these vulnerable children and their communities are growing, yet the community-based social sector is facing $139 million in funding reductions.”

“It was very disheartening for the many, many community-based organisations who provide quality services to children and whānau to learn that $139 million of funding is being cut, citing quality concerns and under-delivery. It is concerning that no strategy is being communicated and many providers are not being told why their services are being cut.”

“The shock and concern expressed by community-based social service providers should prompt Oranga Tamariki and Ministers to pause in order to ensure that children are not left without the support they need before any reductions are made. The not-for-profit sector works in communities every day, and there is significant worry about how these cuts will impact child safety and wellbeing,” she says.

“As things stand, frontline services are being reduced around Aotearoa. In the last week alone we have heard from providers who are facing huge job cuts leading to thousands of children losing support and care,” says Himiona. Te Pai Ora SSPA has been inundated from organisations who are either still waiting to hear about their contracts for the 24/25 financial year or have faced cuts to funding, leading to the loss of frontline services.

“Of huge concern is that in many cases where services are being reduced, there is no plan to transition children and whānau to other services and providers who have lost contracts aren’t being told where to refer children and whānau currently on waitlists for their services,” says Himiona.

“The sweeping statements made in recent days simply do not reflect the reality of the social service sector. We have heard from many providers who have had their contracts reduced who have delivered on targets and are unaware of duplication of services in these communities.”

This is a sector filled with incredible organisations doing valuable mahi in communities wanting to work in partnership with government to support children and whānau,” says Himiona.

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