5390 (2026). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Minister for Children

5390 (2026). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Minister for Children: What amount of investment has been made throughout 2025 to improve professionalisation and core learning for workers in residences, and what are the specific activities this investment supports?

Hon Karen Chhour: Oranga Tamariki received $41.25 million of investment in Budget 2025 to implement a ‘Professionalisation of the Residential Care Workforce’ initiative over four years. I am further advised this investment will provide workers in residences with enhanced induction and ongoing professional development, including residential leadership training, and micro-credentialled learning pathways to a specialist qualification. This programme of work also includes increases in the proportion of the residence workforce who come to their roles with existing professional qualifications and supports within residence to enable quality practice including teams of advanced practitioners. In addition, Oranga Tamariki continues to deliver existing core learning for staff in residences, including the Te Waharoa induction course, and organisational people leadership and cultural capability training.