Personal belongings

What personal belongings are

Care organisations often hold records classed as personal belongings on behalf of people in care. Personal belongings are things individuals (a child or vulnerable adult in or who has been in State or non-State care) had with them when they entered care, as well as things they obtained while in care. Examples include their original birth certificate, drivers’ licence and photographs.

Personal belongings can be:

• things that have very special meaning to individuals, their family, whānau, hapū or iwi — including family heirlooms

• items of significance within the culture or religion of individuals.

But they can also be practical things such as clothing, bedding, schoolbags and luggage.

Life story material

Personal belongings can also include information individuals are entitled to consider their own. This includes ‘life story material’ such as:

• drawings done at school

• personal letters

• certificates of achievement

• school photographs

• information about hobbies and interests.

Personal belongings are not public records

Personal belongings accompanying or received by an individual during their time in care are not public records. They are private property — or records of the individual or their whānau.

Personal belongings still need to be managed and safeguarded

Although they’re not care records, personal belongings still need to:

• be kept safe

• stay with people during their time in care

• be returned to them or their whānau when they leave.

People need a safe place to store their belongings. Important belongings need to be identified and recorded, and they should stay with people during their time in care — especially when they move.

Personal belongings are important to people

An individual’s personal belongings may represent the only documented account of their childhood or time spent in care.

Managing and safeguarding personal belongings ensures they’re available more promptly and inexpensively when people are ready to take them.

Oranga Tamariki guidance on personal belongings

The information about personal belongings on this page is based on Oranga Tamariki’s:

• draft ‘Management & Return of Personal Belongings’, and

• Storing personal belongings website page.

Care records contain information and evidence about care services. They’re created and managed by State and non-State organisations, and include information about:

• the people receiving the services

• the care settings — including the people providing the services.

Care records are created and gathered as part of care services. This means different types of records may be found depending on the types of services provided.

In some cases — where the care situation lasts only briefly — there are likely to be few records. For long-term care, there are likely to be many records.

Over time, the types of records created have changed. This means different types of records will be found according to when the person was in care.

In the past, many records have been lost due to existing recordkeeping practices of the time. As a result of this, unfortunately many of the records included in these information types may no longer be found. These recordkeeping practices can also mean records that do exist may not be well described, hindering access.