From listening to change: our work with the Ombudsman
After a few years of quiet work behind the scenes, it’s really exciting to finally be able to share this publicly.
The Office of the Ombudsman has just published a set of research that informed how they work with children and young people in care. It’s work we were deeply involved in, and it’s been sitting in the background for a while, shaping real-world tools and approaches long before it was visible on a webpage.
We carried out this research over several years, from 2020 through to 2025, with one clear purpose: to understand how tamariki and rangatahi in care, and the people around them, actually want to raise concerns about their experiences. We worked alongside tamariki, rangatahi, whānau, and the trusted adults who support them, through surveys, interviews, and participatory sessions. Some of this was kanohi ki te kanohi, some in small groups, and some through tools designed to make it easier for young people to engage in ways that worked for them. We thought carefully about accessibility, by making sure questions could be heard as well as read, offering te reo Māori alongside English and creating space for different ways of expressing ideas.
Because if the goal is to hear from people, the way you ask matters just as much as what you ask.
What came back wasn’t complicated - but it was clear. We heard:
Build from te ao Māori, rather than adding it on later
Make things accessible from the start, so people don’t have to work to understand or engage
Use language that feels safe and approachable, recognising that some words, like “complaint” can create distance rather than connection.
One of the things we appreciated most about working with the Ombudsman on this project was the commitment to actually doing something with what was heard. The research helped shape a whole set of new tools and approaches, including the nau-mai.nz website, new forms, and resources designed specifically for children and young people in care. Most importantly, we then tested these tools and approaches make sure they work for the people they’re designed for. Through that user testing, we heard that most young people found the site clear and easy to use, and that trusted adults saw it as safe and accessible. Small things like layout, tone, and language made a real difference to how approachable it felt.
Why does this work matter?
There’s a wider context to all of this.
The Ombudsman’s role in overseeing the Oranga Tamariki system expanded in 2023, bringing a stronger focus on making sure concerns can be raised and addressed properly. This research was part of getting ready for that shift. But more than that, it reflects something bigger - that systems work better when they are shaped with the people they are for.
We’re really glad this work is now out in the open.
And, as always, a quiet thank you to the tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau who trusted us with their experiences, to Lynne Doherty and the Ohomairangi Trust, and to the Ombudsman for listening.