There are concerns vulnerable children may miss out with a huge pay divide within social services.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) claim dozens of staff are leaving to get 50 percent better pay at Oranga Tamariki, under a new pay equity deal.
Social Service Providers Aotearoa national manager Brenda Pilott told Newshub it's concerning to see so many staff leaving small organisations.
"We had one example of a Māori organisation in the North Island employs 20 people, five of them have left - that's a quarter of their workforce gone already," she told Newshub.
In September, Oranga Tamariki social workers won a 30 percent payrise after saying their work had been undervalued for years, as most of them are women.
- Oranga Tamariki social workers offered 30 percent pay rise
- Oranga Tamariki launches new monitoring system
- Oranga Tamariki apologises after posting child's details on Trade Me
Ms Pilott believes the situation isn't helping either side, as Oranga Tamariki may get more workers but lose the help of NGOs like hers.
"It's not going to be any use to them if those organisations are not going to be able to do the work that they're being contracted by Oranga Tamariki for," she said.
Ms Pilott believes the situation is putting families at risk, due to some organisations having to worry about whether they can offer certain services due to understaffing.
"The losers in all of this are going to be the people who need services that are simply not there for them if people cannot staff their services or they cannot keep social workers," she said.
Ms Pilott is urging the Government to boost funding for NGOs working in the sector.
Newshub.
