Kaiārahi - Family Court Navigator role announced
A new role for the Family Court has been announced, with recruitment to begin this week. This role forms part of the Strengthening the Family Court initiatives, which were announced in Budget 2020.
Kaiārahi (kaiārahi o te Kooti-a-Whānau) - Family Court Navigator - was chosen with input from stakeholders and the Principal Family Court Judge. The name aligns the role with the ongoing mahi in the Family Court, to help people to navigate the justice system and support better family justice outcomes for whānau and tamariki.
Kaiārahi – Family Court Navigators will provide guidance and information about the resolution/support options available to parents, caregivers and whānau who are considering applying to the Family Court.
“The Kaiārahi – Family Court Navigators will aim to improve family justice outcomes for parents, whānau and tamariki by empowering families to make informed decisions on appropriate justice pathways and how to access them. They’ll also provide information about how to engage with the court for legal matters or how to access out-of-court services,” says Robert Loo, Manager Justice Services – Family.
"The people in these new roles will be a vital link between the community and the Court, ensuring better access to justice, one of the Ministry's key strategic priorities," he says.
The new roles have been developed through an inclusive process, involving a number of community stakeholder groups, the judiciary and legal professionals, to ensure consideration of social barriers, access to services, cultural needs, and other factors were taken into account.
“The role will embrace and recognise the two founding cultures of Aotearoa New Zealand, while creating and sustaining an environment that demonstrates inclusivity and responsiveness to Māori and all cultures in family justice matters,” says Robert Loo.
By July 2021, there will be 50 Kaiārahi Family Court Navigator roles in place throughout Aotearoa. Four Service Managers and one Manager Justice Services have already been appointed.
It is hoped that the creation of these roles will help to demystify the Family Court system and ensure parents, whānau and tamariki are well supported throughout the court process.
To view our current Kaiārahi – Family Court Navigator vacancies, or to be notified when recruitment of these roles start in your region, please visit our Ministry's career site and search for job title 'Family Court Navigator':
Te Tāhū o te Ture - Ministry of Justice careers(external link)
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