Whaikaha

The SWRB board will consider my fitness to practice social work, they will establish my criteria for registration for social workers through the 10 SWRB competencies been meet to their standard.  The act section 6 entitles my NZ qualification to be recognised and to be registered if the board is satisfied that I'm competent to practice and satisfactory in Legislative context. I must show that I am competent to practice with Māori and different ethnic and cultural groups and that I hold enough practical experience to work with people.  Another requirement for registration is to demonstrate and understand the code of conduct and its implementation into my practice. The fit and proper person policy holds the board responsibility to the fit and proper person and the fitness to practice under the requirements under the act. The board will be required to look at different contexts at the time of registration.  The board will look at convictions that may have come to their atten...

During my placement within Taikura Trust I saw many practice issues which at times were very sore on the Ngakau (heart, mind, soul, affections).  DSS (Disability support services) are not easy to navigate and confusing to most, including the managed support team (Case managers), support facilitators that work for Taikura Trust. Whanau, hapu & iwi need to work hard to understand tax, how the supports can affect benefits/pensions through MSD (Ministry of Social Development) DSS is allocated into funding packages that are coordinated and sent to contracted providers under the MOH (Ministry of Health).  These packages can be allocated at an hourly rate, in units or at a daily rate.  Once with the provider they take their cut for administration, payroll etc.  Taikura Trust allocate hours to the need through the needs assessment process and have no idea of actually how much of the funding package the Whanau end up with at the end of each week, this is an issue as many ...

Currently within Taikura Trust I have been told there is no place for social workers role or title within the organization.  This conversation came about as I could see the need for social workers within the disability coordination service sector, so approached my manager to have the korero. I explained I was coming up to the end of my Bicultural Bachelor of Social Services and would like to move to a social workers role in Taikura Trust from a case manager title, as I felt the presence of social workers within the organization would be beneficial to the disability community we support.  Case managers do a similar role, but the connections and networks social workers can offer is priceless.  Their training allows them to listen, support and connect Whanau, Hapu,  & Iwi to access resources, benefits and alternative accommodation outside of government, contacted providers. Case managers have large caseloads and don't have the capacity to fully engage with Whanau, H...

The allocation of Disability support services DSS within in Taikura Trust is calculated through a data base, called Socrates.  This process is either calculated per hour or at $10 a unit depending on what provider contract is chosen to support the disability need, if it be personal cares, in home respite, Individual funding, home management.  The allocation depends on what need was identified during the process of the Needs Assessment.  Are you confused by the above few lines, if so, you are not the only one.  When the allocation of hours or units are sent to a provider they can choose to accept or decline the service request sent out.  What we are seeing in NASC (needs assessment service coordination) is the provider is accepting the service request to support the client with ie personal cares in the home and the allocation are for 14 hours per week but in reality, only supporting the client for 1 hour twice a week, they do not notify Taikura Trust of this, acc...

The praxis of networking with Whanau, Hapu, Iwi and the community helps the social worker to evaluate persons who may need intervention, or is the intervention relevant to the situation, Praxis intervention may not even be needed.  Is the person or persons we support need total care?  or can they take care of themselves or do they need support to care for themselves.  Praxis is about looking and reflecting, theory to action.  With the networks and connections that social workers have in the communities they live and work in can create connections to support Whanau, Hapu, Iwi to have the right supports suited to the issue or concern.   1.  Competence to practice social work with Māori Implementation and understanding of tikanga Māori values and beliefs (offering karakia, hui, kai) e.g., removing my shoes when entering a Whare, greeting by saying Kia Ora, allowing Whitiwhiti korero to take place between Practioner and Whanau using Nga Takepu principles t...

My social work practice begins with rangahau of the whanau before a professionals meeting, what's the crisis?  why is there crisis? what are the formal and informal supports in place?  what is the financial package available? what is going on with the client and the wider whanau? The gathering of incident reports, current medical reviews, medications and support plans over the past three months.  Within my practice I need to place myself in all areas of the clients environment, school, home, community, medical to ensure a wider scope of the current situation. Social workers in Aotearoa offer advice and support to Whanau and individuals with personal or social issues.  Social workers can work with Whanau to simplify language and law, advocate for human rights and also facilitate professional meetings/tasks between client and community services, family group conference (FGC), they also investigate complaints of concern regarding children safety, connecting  t...