The horror of abuse inside Oranga Tamariki is still continuing – hang your head in shame NZ

ByMartyn Bradbury

Our hearts should ache…

Increased number of children abused in state care, report finds

The number of young people being abused in state care has increased, says a report by the Independent Children’s Monitor.

It also shows young people are still not receiving the minimum standards of care required by legislation.

Chief executive of the Independent Children’s Monitor Arran Jones said it’s “disappointing” and Oranga Tamariki “need to do better” — but he’s not expecting to see improvement in the next report.

The annual Experiences in Care report looks at agency compliance with the National Care Standards Regulations, which have been in place since 2019.

Jones said in the context of a child’s life who was five-years-old when they started reporting on the regulations, they would now be nine.

“During that time, many will not have had the standard of care the law requires and that they need and they deserve.”

The report found 9% of young people — or almost 1 in 10 of those in care — were abused or neglected while in the custody of Oranga Tamariki. An increase from 497 to 507.

This is occurring disproportionately in secure residences, mostly by other rangatahi, and when young people return to their parents’ care while still in the custody of Oranga Tamariki.

Jones said the release of this report following the Royal Commission’s Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith based care “highlights and emphases the need for Oranga Tamariki to be a model parent”.

“These kids usually come into care because they have already been abused or neglected. Oranga Tamariki needs to do everything it can to keep them safe.”

…we can’t make this a Left wing or Right wing issue.

Damaged, vulnerable Children in our care are being abused at a staggering rate.

This can’t be an ideological debate because none of us can be proud of what these stats are shockingly telling us!

Removing 7aa removed the obligation for OT to work directly with Iwi Community groups when a Māori child is uplifted into care, and that only feeds into the abuse we see in state care and creates a wider grievance.

Likewise, the Social Investment model the State has turned to intends to use big data algorithms to identify the most costly children who will continue costing the State down stream.

I just don’t believe that is a solution!

We are only looking at cost cutting measures so as to save money, we aren’t  focused on the welfare of everyone in care and we aren’t focused on that because we don’t have the extra state revenue to fund it and we don’t have the money to fund it because we have Right wing and Left wing Governments who point blank refuse to tax wealth.

Both sides have don’e little to find the resources our terribly underfunded youth infrastructure requires.

Some staff at these facilities are given mere weeks for training and are underpaid and under resourced.

Instead of finding cost cutting measures, how about finding the revenue to properly fund them in the first place.

80% of Gang Members were abused in State Care.

If you want less gang members, stop abusing them while in State Care!

It’s all obscenely heart breaking.

It’s almost as if we have learned nothing from the Royal Inquiry into Historic Abuse in State Care.

 

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15 Comments

  2. wHILE WE HAVE POVERTY NOTHING WILL CHANGE .Everyone is saying we need to spend 5 billion per year on defence yet we are cutting spending on our next generation .There would be no need for OT if we eliminated poverty on so many levels .How can we justify anyone living on the street ,or shit being dished up to kids for lunch .Then there is the elephant in the room WHY ARE WORKING PEOPLE having to go to the government for support because their wage does not cover the cost of basic housing and food .While we keep shitting on working people from above we will always have poverty ,gangs and OT destroying the lives of the next generation .

    1. This is because we have a government full of privileged amateurs who have never had to deal with difficult circumstances in their lives OR they are zealous survivors of the system, such as Ms. Chhour, who thinks everyone is the same and if she can ‘pull herself up by her boot-straps’, then so can everyone else.

      If poverty could be dealt with many problems would melt away but they prefer punishment. They love to see people squirm.
      Jacinda may have over-managed and caused childish resent among many groups but at least she wasn’t falling into the trap of thinking everyone is the same and has the same personal skills with which to deal with their lives adequately.

      We have a govt. of people think they have the skills to govern, who do not.
      Act is full zealots who think everyone who isn’t like them, should aspire to be.
      Here’s a thought, Act. Most of us don’t want to be like you. We don’t admire your ‘achievements’.
      We know you have an agenda that is not for our benefit. You are not aiming to govern properly.
      You are simply setting up a system of punishment and devaluation.
      That’s the dangerous bit.

  3. Agreed Gordon Walker.
    Here’s a conversation I had a few years ago I had with my ACT supporting employer.
    Boss: ‘ subsidies are a waste of money. Anything that that cannot support itself deserves to fail.’
    Me: ‘ But taxpayers subsidise you!’
    Boss: @#!!! how?’
    Me; ‘The wages you pay are so low that I need family support to bring my wages up to a level where my wife and I can feed and house our two children so the fact is the government is using taxpayers money to top up my income. If you paid a decent wage I would not need that taxpayers money.’
    Boss: ‘ But if your wages are higher this business fails and you will be out of a job.’
    Me: ‘ Do You own a holiday home at Papamoa Beach?’
    Boss: ‘ Well yes. but..”
    Me: and the big game fishing launch in the Bay of Islands?’
    Boss is silent.
    Me; ” and did you have a seven week holiday last year? Fiji, Gold Coast, Indonesia?’
    Me, ‘ What percentage of your income do you pay in tax?
    Boss: “Mind your own fucking business – time you stopped talking and got back to work.’

    1. I had similar conversations with my boss when he was making 20 people redundant one year .I pointed out that he was in fact making his customer redundant who would then not be able to afford to buy his product .His reply was but these people dont buy the packaging we make we sell to other manufactures who package the stuff they make into our packaging .I then asked who buys the end packaged product ,the 20 people who you have just made redundant .He then said no they wont because they can no longer afford the price .

      1. Few if any business people lay people off for fun as it usually means there is a cash flow problem or they have lost a contract. Too many businesses wait and then it is too late and the whole business gers closed down .
        How many businesses have you started and employed workers as you seem to think you have the knowledge.

    2. If the pay is so bad why are you still there. Have you tried to improve your skill set to be in demand .His effort has given you a job .
      If your boss is like most small business owners he has taken a risk and sometimes that risk pays off but other time the business fails and he will lose everything. How many hours does he put in each week .For most it will be early starts and late finishes.

  4. I had a number of so called step parents. Dinner time was especially antagonistic. Everything was an ambush. Why were you five minutes late. Where is you school jersey. You won’t be any good. Think. There is no replacement for a biological mother and a father.

    1. I was in care for a short time when I was 5 or 6 .What a fucken bitch that lady was .As soon as I was dropped off it was off to your room and wait for dinner .After dinner ,bath and back in your room till breakfast .After breakfast get to school .After school straight to your room and the cycle was the same every day .No playing with the other kids in the street or stuff like that .Thank fully I was rescued by and auntie and uncle and went with my sister to live with them for some time till we could return home .

      I can see why we have disturbed young people ,I was one of the lucky few .

  6. Read that too. Sir Ian Taylor may not agree with me about everything, but he got this right.

    Mr. Amateur Hour, jack-of-all-trades, Master-of-None, Seymour poking his nose into everything but can’t manage to complete one thing properly.
    If Luxon had any ability to lead he’d demand Seymour gets school lunches sorted out to our satisfaction before he gets any more charter school money. Too bad for those already clipping that ticket.

  7. I thought we knew that women had big hearts and would care for vulnerable children as well as they could. Only some seem to have caught the bug that finds no way to deal with ‘bad children except by punishment. They used to use high electric shocks, what is the favoured measure now? And where have all the women gone who are the children of those who started The League of Mothers and the National Council of Women??

    League of Mothers and Homemakers of New Zealand
    | NZ History
    https://nzhistory.govt.nz › women-together › league-mot…
    1 Jan 1996 — The League of Mothers [and Homemakers 1926] was a non-denominational Christian organisation which aimed to reach ‘young mothers and all lonely women who are in need …[disbanded in 1996]

    National Council of Women of New Zealand
    Wikipedia
    https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › National_Council_of_…
    The National Council of Women of New Zealand was established in 1896, three years after women in New Zealand won the right to the vote, as an umbrella .

    Thanks for putting it in print Bridget Williams.
    The National Council of Women
    Bridget Williams Books
    https://www.bwb.co.nz › books › the-national-council-…
    The National Council of Women has since worked for equal access to education, for prison reform, for protection of women from alcohol-related violence, for …

    But what now do they overlook or wash their hands of, Herod-style?

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