The Experiences of Care in Aotearoa report found that Oranga Tamariki has continued to not comply with the National Care Standards Regulations, six years after they have come into effect.
“The Independent Children’s Monitor found that 246 tamariki and rangatahi stayed in a hotel or motel during the reporting period. Hotels and motels are not homes; they are meant to be used as a last resort in emergency situations for a short period while a more suitable care option is identified. When tamariki and rangatahi are living in hotels or motels they are cared for by a security guard, a casual staff member, a reliever, or a social worker – these are not people who should be caring for our tamariki and rangatahi. It is also shocking that tamariki and rangatahi with high and complex needs, which includes disabilities are more likely to be placed in motels. Tamariki and rangatahi need to feel safe, they need to have stability – which these motels or hotels do not provide,” Mr Reweti Peters said.
“The report also found that the number of tamariki and rangatahi found to have been abused or neglected while in Oranga Tamariki care has increased from 507 in 2023/24 to 530 in this reporting period. This is one in 10 tamariki and rangatahi in care. Māori tamariki and rangatahi make up 73 percent of those who were found to have been abused in care. Since 2022/23 the number of tamariki and rangatahi found to have been abused has increased. No abuse should ever be inflicted on tamariki and rangatahi in Aotearoa New Zealand, let alone in the very agency that is supposed to be protecting tamariki and rangatahi from harm and abuse.”
Oranga Tamariki needs and must do better to ensure that all tamariki and rangatahi in their care are safe and have stable accommodation.
Mr Reweti Peters said, “Kei te rongo koe? Are you listening? – VOYCE Whakarongo Mai’s State of Care Report and scorecard shows the importance of making sure that our tamariki and rangatahi in Oranga Tamariki care have their basic needs met, which include safety and stability. Kei te rongo koe? Paints another bleak picture – that Oranga Tamariki is still not doing enough to make sure that the minimum standards of care are being met and that tamariki and rangatahi in Oranga Tamariki care have their basic needs met. In 2027 VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai will do another scorecard and hopefully the scores will improve so that our tamariki and rangatahi in Oranga Tamariki care are safe and have their basic needs met and have the minimum standard of care that they deserve.”
“I welcome the report today by the Independent Children’s Monitor. I hope that in the interim Oranga Tamariki will start to comply with the National Care Standards Regulations so Aotearoa can see that there has been improvement. However, Oranga Tamariki is still in no place to care for some of our nation’s most vulnerable tamariki and rangatahi. I again, echo the calls from survivors, academics, and whānau that Oranga Tamariki needs to be dismantled and iwi, hāpu and whānau need to take over the provisions of caring for our tamariki and rangatahi,” said Ihorangi Reweti Peters.
