Up to 30% of government funding is expected to be cut between seven family service providers in the Poriruaย area, leaving children and families vulnerable, say the organisations.
โItโs children who will pay for the cuts,โ says Te Rลซnanga o Toa Rangatira Chief Executive Helmut Modlik.ย โWeโll fight to keep and improve the services because whฤnau need our support.โ
Modlik says mana whenua, Ngฤti Toa Rangatira, and others are having to pick up the pieces of decades of social and economic marginalisation in Porirua impacting families over generations.
Intergenerational and personal harm caused by the abuse of children in state care and faith-based institutionsย was made public recently, during and after the conclusion of the Royal Commission of Inquiry. Hundreds ofย witnesses retold their harrowing and disturbing experiences in care, researchers shared insights, and a raft ofย recommendations were made to help improve the system.
โNow the government wants to cut funding to Oranga Tamariki and expects it wonโt have a negative impact onย children, families and the wider community,โ says Modlik. โKei te hฤ tฤrฤ, that is wrong.โ
Last week, Te Rลซnanga which is the post settlement governance entity for Ngฤti Toa and manages anย Oranga Tamariki contract, met with other impacted service providers including Taeaomanino Trust, Wesleyย Community Action, Porirua Whฤnau Centre, Barnardos Aotearoa, Wairere Care Services and WELLfed NZย Trust.
Wesley Community Action director David Hanna says, โPositive relationships are what sustain this vital work.ย Under Ngati Toa Rangatiraโs leadership, community organisations had built positive relationships with theย Porirua Oranga Tamariki office โ these relationships have been trampled on by these centrally driven actions.โ
The group of independent providers have urgently requested to meet with Oranga Tamariki Chief Executiveย Chappie Te Kani and his team for a please explain rationale for the cuts and to help find possible solutionsย together. Oranga Tamariki has agreed to meet with them but theyโre yet to finalise a date.
In the meantime, the service providers will continue to care for Poriruaโs vulnerable families, says Modlik. Heย believes what they are experiencing in Porirua will be happening all over the country, and itโs concerning.
โWe need teams on the ground, at the coalface to support families with high needs. If we donโt, who will?ย What do you think will happen to children in those homes, and in care, without proper support?โ
The seven family service organisations want to publicly reassure their clients and community, they willย continue to provide for their needs and do all they can to continue to support them, as they work with Orangaย Tamariki, to help find solutions for everyone.