How long will it take Oranga Tamariki to give me my records?

Oranga Tamariki need to contact you within 20 working days  

Once Oranga Tamariki receives your request, they have 20 working days to tell you whether they can get you a copy of your records and when you can expect them.

It will probably take them longer than 20 working days to give you a copy of your records.

If they cannot provide you with some information, they must explain why (for example, if some of your records have been lost or destroyed).  

A staff member will contact you when they start working on your request 

They may need to contact you as they work on your request, to: 

• let you know if they could not find any information  
• ask you for more information to help them find more records
• ask you questions about your request. 

Oranga Tamariki will assess your records before they are given to you 

‘Assessing’ your records means going through all the information in your records and redacting some of the information as needed by the Privacy Act.  

Redaction means moving information before you can access it. Learn more about redactions.

How long it takes for your records to be assessed depends on: 

• how many records Oranga Tamariki need to find
• what format the records are in (digital or paper)  
• how long it takes for paper records to be sent in from other sites and scanned
• how long it takes to assess the records and make redactions. 

Some people who have applied for their records have found the assessment process can take a long time. Oranga Tamariki should keep you updated.  

Tell Oranga Tamariki if you need your records urgently 

If you need your records urgently, let Oranga Tamariki know. They will tell you if they can give you all or some of your records earlier.