Social Worker - Kaikohe

Permanant, full-time vacancy up for grabs!

Competitive salary, ranging $81,206- $97,557, depending on experience

Based in our Kaikohe Site, Te Tai Tokerau region

It takes a whole village to raise tamariki; we are offering a renewed sense of community and a unique opportunity for social workers to join our growing whānau orientated team at Kaikohe site - where you will be encouraged and supported to work effectively with Māori using Te Toka Tumoana, our indigenous and bicultural principled framework.

In these fast-paced roles, you will be expected to operate collectively with a team of social workers and other critical thinkers, inclusive of whānau hapū, iwi and communities. Tamariki do not live-in isolation; they sit at the centre of a whānau and sometimes caregiving families.

Oranga Tamariki is a name that has been gifted to us and is our commitment to improving the safety and wellbeing of tamariki and that of the community we serve, north of Whangarei. As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of mana (prestige), tika & pono (doing things the right way), aroha (love) and whākapapa (relationships) to shape how we work and deliver the outcomes in our site plan.

This role represents an opportunity to shape a new way of working with culturally grounded solutions and innovations that support our approach and direction toward transformational change for the care and protection system - one that builds on the good things that are already happening, and, most importantly, innovates to find new ways of doing things to achieve better outcomes for all.

About the role | Mō te tūnga

This role requires a passion to actively keep tamariki in the hearts and minds of everything we do. You will apply the principles of mana tamaiti, whakapapa and whanaungatanga to your practice, to ensure you are responsive to tamariki and whānau Māori. It\'s more than a job, it\'s an opportunity to improve the lived experiences of tamariki and their caregiving communities. We recognise the importance of Kaimahi ora (staff wellbeing) and are committed to ensuring you receive regular supervision and take the necessary breaks needed to restore Oranga and wellbeing.

• hear tamariki and rangatahi voices and support them or their family / whānau to make positive changes
• work alongside various cultural groups and people from different backgrounds
• complete initial safety checks and assessments on the child, young person, and whānau
• work alongside partners in our community, non-government organisations and state sector agencies
• transition children and young people back to their families / whānau or into their forever home
• be an advocate on behalf of tamariki to ensure they have the support and resources needed to reach their full potential

Key requirements of the role include :

Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to Apply

Apply online with your CV and Covering Letter. If you are an Oranga Tamariki employee already, please ensure you apply with a log in using your Oranga Tamariki email address. If you have any questions about role, please

Applications for this role close on 5th October 2025 - Please note : we will be reviewing applications and inviting candidates to interview prior to this date, so apply now!

If you are interested in any of our vacancies, please ensure that you make yourself familiar with our code of conduct as it sets out our expectations for our kaimahi and requires you to present at work free from the influences of both drugs and alcohol."

Reference # 35079

Posted on 18 Sep 2025

Closes on 05 Oct : 55

Location(s) Kaikohe

Expertise Social Work, Care Services, Management, Other, Services for children and families, Youth Justice

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