State care of children has 'failed', says Minister
Thursday, 15 August 2019
Minister for Children Tracey Martin has delivered a blistering verdict on New Zealand's failure to care for its most vulnerable children, saying 'the system has failed'.
And the Minister has warned social workers who won't change their ways to move on.
Martin was speaking at Rotorua's Te Papaiouru Marae on Thursday at a hui organised by Waiariki MP Tamati Coffey about the changes taking place at Oranga Tamariki - and the organisation's failings.
'I refer to it as a child crisis system, that can't continue,' she said.
'To change a system that's so broken, to rebuild a Government department while making sure children are still safe, it's a big piece of work.'
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She said New Zealand had failed to create intervention services to 'walk alongside' whānau in need, and failed to adequately listen to Māori voices.
'Nothing will change unless Māoridom gets the chance to design it [new systems of state care].'
She said she wanted to see Māori, iwi and hapu involved in looking after children in care, the majority of which are Māori, but said some of the children are 'so harmed' Māori groups would need assistance in how best to care for them.
'And that's the responsibility of the state.'
Martin said that at present 6400 children were under the auspices of Oranga Tamariki, with the majority at home or with whānau.
She also revealed Oranga Tamariki receives 92,000 'calls of concern' each year, though she said that figure has been bolstered by the requirement on professionals who deal with children to report any concerns.
She said some concerns - such as a child at school without lunch - could be better handled by a trusted person within that whānau or community, rather than the state.
She had a number of positives too, however, and warned against creating a narrative that negatively linked Māori with child care issues.
'The majority of Māori children are at home, loved, cared for and happy.'
She also said changes were underway at the frontline of state child care with social workers.
'Release the social workers who are culturally competent.'
She had a warning for staff unwilling to accept help to change too, saying she would 'move on those who cannot change'.
Martin also said quarterly reports into the number of children harmed under Oranga Tamariki care was a first, as 'never before has the state been honest enough to admit we failed them'.
Martin also had a sobering message for those calling for Oranga Tamariki to be axed.
'We cannot disestablish Oranga Tamariki tomorrow because every two days a child turns up in a New Zealand hospital with a non-accidential injury.'
Lawyer and activist Annette Sykes also addressed the audience and while she admitted her love and respect for Martin, she pulled no punches.
'Māoridom is in a state of emergency,' she said.
'Yes Oranga Tamariki has transformed, but the culture of practices hasn't, it's essentially Euro-centric.
'The Crown has to find a way to honour its Treaty Obligations. . . the Crown has not got the answers, the answers are in our hands.'