Quick Exit

Chappie Te Kani, Chief Executive.  Chappie Te Kani is currently the acting Chief Executive Officer of Oranga Tamariki. Chappie first joined Oranga Tamariki as Deputy Chief Executive Governance and Engagement, and before that he held several senior public servant roles, including Assistant Commissioner at the Public Service Commission, Head of System Assurance and Continuous Improvement at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) and Acting Chief Executive at Te Arawhiti. Chappie is the lead witness for Oranga Tamariki and his evidence will focus on role and functions of Oranga Tamariki and its predecessor.

Peter Whitcombe, Chief Social Worker.  Peter Whitcombe is the Chief Social Worker, which is a Deputy Chief Executive role within Oranga Tamariki. Peter has had a long career in Oranga Tamariki and its predecessor agency, beginning as a social worker. He has held General Manager roles for Youth Justice and Care, was Senior Responsible Owner for the Care Standards Programme, and a Children’s Team Director. Peter also led the establishment of our Crown/Iwi partnership with Ngāi Tahu, the first of our National Strategic Partnerships. Peter’s evidence will include the provision of care, entry into care and youth justice.

Nicolette Dickson, Deputy Chief Executive – Quality Practice & Experiences.  Nicolette Dickson is currently the Deputy Chief Executive Quality Practice and Experiences at Oranga Tamariki. Nicolette is a registered social worker with over 20 years of experience as a social work practitioner and leader. After joining Child Youth and Family, she has held a range of practice and leadership roles across the organisation in care and protection and also in youth justice as a site, operations and regional manager. Nicolette has held senior national roles as General Manager Practice and co-directed our new Practice Framework. Nicolette’s evidence will include monitoring and oversight of the care system, entry into care and the provision of care.

Frana Chase, Director Youth Justice Transformation Whanau Care in Service Delivery.  Frana Chase is currently the Director Transformation, Te Oranga o te Whānau at Oranga Tamariki. Frana was a Pou Mana Whakahaere — Ratonga Awhina when she first joined Oranga Tamariki. Prior to this, Frana was the CEO of an iwi-led Health Authority, a Whānau Ora Manager for the Taumarunui, Whanganui and Waikato regions, a social worker and a technical advisor to the Iwi Chairs Forum for Whānau Ora. Frana’s evidence will focus on how tamariki and whānau Māori experience care.

Aiolupotea Sina Aiolupotea-Aiono, Chief Advisor Pacific.  Aiolupotea Sina Aiolupotea-Aiono is currently the Chief Advisor Pacific, Office of the Chief Executive at Oranga Tamariki. Before joining Oranga Tamariki, Sina was the Deputy Chief Executive Regional Partnerships at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples and has served at a governance level as a member and chair of several boards in local and central government, as well as in the NGO and local community sectors. Sina is from the villages of Falelima, Paia, Siufaga, Fa’ala Palauli in Savaii, Samoa and holds two chiefly Ali’i titles of Aiolupotea and Toleafoa. Sina’s evidence will focus on issues affecting Pacific Peoples in the context of the care system.

Claudia Boyles, Chief Advisor Disability.  Claudia Boyles is the Chief Advisor Disability, Office of the Chief Executive at Oranga Tamariki. Before joining Oranga Tamariki, Claudia held senior advisory roles in the public service including Principal Advisor roles at ACC and in the Ministry for the Environment. Claudia has an extensive background in public policy including work in America and Australia with extensive leadership experience across different sectors. Claudia is a disabled person, a paraplegic and wheelchair user. Claudia’s evidence will focus on issues affecting disabled people in the context of the care system.

Paula Attrill, General Manager International Casework and Adoption in Service Delivery.  Paula Attrill is currently the General Manager International Casework and Adoption at Oranga Tamariki. Paula’s experience with Oranga Tamariki and its predecessor is extensive, spanning almost 30 years. Paula’s career has largely focused on frontline services in either a site/region or in roles overseeing these. Paula worked for the Secretariat supporting the Expert Advisory Panel, before joining the Investing in Children Programme. In her current role, Paula has also been Senior Responsible Owner for National Care Standards implementation. Paula’s evidence will focus on historical matters relating to entry into care, caregivers and adoption services.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Witness Statement of Chappie Te Kani for the State Institutional Response Hearing

PDF, 629 KB