Oranga Tamariki has got Cabinet approval for detailed plans for a long-awaited $68m replacement of old information systems that slow down how it safeguards children.

This comes three years after the project got the previous government's nod amid warnings the 25-year-old case management system was increasingly unreliable. But in 2024 it had to be reset, [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/science-and-technology/513164/oranga-tamariki-it-overhaul-leaves-social-workers-without-access-to-some-information

as RNZ revealed].

Since then notifications by the public of children at risk have surged while months of planning the upgrade have slipped by.

The information systems record sensitive and private information about the lives of children.

Over a year ago Oranga Tamariki told RNZ it had delayed a review of its detailed business case to "get the maximum value".

This week the ministry said Cabinet recently approved the business case and it expected to sign a contract to design the system next month.

A review in March rated the project 'amber-green'.

"This rating indicates that successful delivery is likely, although continued management attention is required to ensure identified risks are effectively managed," chief social worker Nicolette Dickson said in a statement.

Since it got funding in Budget 2024, Oranga Tamariki had gone looking for the best case management platform and this search was now nearing completion, she said.

It had aligned the project with the government's new 'Digital Target State' introduced in December 2025 to make savings and link up public sector IT work.

"We have gained a number of insights, including from overseas child protection jurisdictions who have completed similar case management system changes, about how to ensure cost-effective, timely and quality implementation."

A Cabinet paper in 2024 said none of the three main benefits of the systems overhaul "can be fully realised until the completion of the programme". Those three included improved safety for tamariki, reduced harm from youth offending and better support for OT staff.

Getting the right tech was expected to be "realistic and achievable" back then.

Dickson said the project had several independent quality control mechanisms in place.

The $68m covers only the first phase and other Budgets were going to be called on for later funding.

"Oranga Tamariki is unable to fund further programme costs without impacting the services it provides to children," the 2024 Cabinet paper stated.

This project is meant to dovetail in with the Ministry of Social Development's big service upgrade programme, Te Pae Tawhiti. The first stage of that was on time and on budget, according to a Treasury paper in late 2025. The second and third parts run from now till 2032

Budget 2026 had $180m for Oranga Tamariki to improve responses to children but did not mention technology as part of that.

Dickson said the ministry had also since 2024 made a small number of improvements to its old tech, as well as to social worker practice.

In May it launched a new digital tool called All About Me used to make 1000 care plans since. This comes two years after talk of a prototype.

"These early changes provides a good foundation for the larger changes ahead."