More kids are being abused in state care – Oranga Tamariki culture war grievances aren’t a solution
The Appeal Court has told Minister Chhour that she has to appear before the Tribunal to explain repealing section 7aa – this was another dumb culture war political stunt that has backfired – does ACT want to solve the problem of kids in State care or exacerbate it for political ends?
That’s over 10% of kids in State care abused while in State care.
Oranga Tamariki are obligated to work with Māori care providers because of Section 7AA, remove it and it opens up the possibility of immediate no notice uplifts of Māori children because OT doesn’t need to take the time to find appropriate carers and can simply uplift them directly into state care.
Why shouldn’t the Minister front and explain the ramifications of removing 7aa, especially after the Tribunal found the decision would create real would harm?
The reason she hasn’t is because ACT used Māori as a political punching bag over the election and their reactionary cracker electorate see this as an existential fight between the evil drake malarky Tribunal and the righteousness of pure white Westminster Democracy.
It’s more important for the Right to keep race alive as an issue because anti-Māori rhetoric is what binds them.
ACT can’t help themselves, this is who they are, this is what they are. David Seymour couldn’t even manage to announce more free food in schools without turning it into an argument about whether or not Sushi was woke FFS!
Todd Stephenson’s trainwreck interview as the Arts spokesperson tells you everything you need to know about the shallowness of their small Government dogma.
ACT are here to amputate as much of the State as they can, and they are using anger at Māori to do that.
You are being manipulated into a lie so that ACT can do the real work of denigrating the public service until you are all tricked into thinking privatisation will be better.
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It is Family Court Judges who have the final say on uplifts. If they continue to apply the level of rigour to justify uplifts that has been observed since 7aa was inserted into the Act, then the removal of 7aa should have minimal impact on actual uplift numbers.
In terms of abuse in care – it appears that a large majority of these cases occur in Youth Residences rather than OT placements in the community. This shouldn’t lessen the importance of this issue, but children and young people that meet the criteria are very high end in terms of needs – an important caveat in these numbers would be, how many complaints are actually confirmed as a percentage of actual complaints made? I suspect the number is low.
Also – what is the amount of abuse occurring in the community – I expect this would also be high given the high levels of violence in New Zealand society. I am not sure if this data is collected, but it would make an interesting read – comparing rates of child abuse and neglect in the community versus that observed and reported in State care.
Studying the stats Bob – after that ask why and read Celia Lashlie’s book below which gives some background of why the adults are as they are, and where that came from.
Journey to Prison: Who Goes and Why?
Goodeys Bookstore
https://www.goodeys.co.nz › social-environment-politica…
1 Apr 2003 — In Journey to Prison Celia Lashlie examines the origins issues of crime in New Zealand, the way we punish offenders, the effectiveness of prison …$29.00 · In stock
Social investment would not be faux pretence such as uplifting children from mothers who want them but may be too deep into drugs that help lift their difficult circumstances. It would help the mothers, and family behind as much as is viable to make changes, and keep funding the women’s and men’s refuges. And also lift parenting to a trade equivalent, and fund apprenticeships for young men and women.
Feelings of adequacy and self respect and some viable years in the future (which is all many of us may get) would do a lot to probably more than halve the cases with good outcomes, in say 10 years. As the advert said ‘It won’t happen overnight but it will happen’.
Most Maori are good parents but this should not stop people calling out bad parents who are Maori or Pakeha due to sensitivity of race .
Untill we end poverty we will have abused children and partners of both sexes .These kids being abused today are tomorrows gang members .We all see people moaning about OT but noone has pointed out that without pverty it would not exist because the community would step up in a crisis as was the case long time ago .
POVERTY is the cause of most of societies current problems .
The service isn’t satisfactory. Close the OM lot up on what remains of the fast track impetus. Let social welfare do something to fit the welfare part of the name.
Take people out of their usual habitat and give them a week’s break away with a short course in child and house management, relaxed and with time for enquiry and counselling; say just three adults and the child. Or perhaps a couple and child, or mother and grandmother and child. And then asking what would improve things, immediately and short and medium term. Real social investment, then employ a helper where they live, who can be contacted by parent/s when needed once or twice a week to start with for follow up support.