Family Meeting

A Family Meeting must be held to confirm that the parent is unable to care for the child or provide fully for the child's support because of a family breakdown. It is held between:

• the child's caregiver
• the child's parents and
• an MSD representative

Sometimes, the child, the social worker and the extended family may attend.

A family meeting is not required where:

• a Family Group Conference conducted by Oranga Tamariki has decided to place the child with the caregiver
• the parents are overseas on a long-term basis or
• the parents are in prison

When considering the above bullet points and whether a family breakdown has occurred it is important to consider any possible care and protection concerns for a child or young person.

If MSD believes any child has been, or is likely to be harmed (physically, emotionally or sexually), ill-treated, abused, neglected, deprived or MSD has concerns about the wellbeing of the child, the case must be referred to Oranga Tamariki.