ACT Children’s spokesperson Karen Chhour has hit back at the Green Party’s “Open Letter to the Minister of Children”, (see below) saying: “The Green Party’s new manifesto for children is revealing. In their list of seven duties of care, they relegate child protection to fifth.
“Meanwhile, they’ve put ‘whānau and whakapapa must be centred’ first on their list. They clearly do not understand, or care, that many young people’s trauma is from their whānau.
“This focus on ‘cultural safety’ over physical safety is typical of the Greens, and sadly it’s an ideology that crept into Oranga Tamariki under the previous Government. That’s part of the mess I’ve been left to clean up as Minister.
“When Oranga Tamariki behaved as the Greens advocate, children were removed from safe and loving caregivers because the agency believed only Māori carers could provide for their cultural needs.
“A high court judge recently labelled this practice as “egregious” and ordered Oranga Tamariki to pay costs estimated at $108,000. Under the Greens, bills like this would sky-rocket.
“The Greens’ letter fails to acknowledge the significant improvements that have been made by Oranga Tamariki under this government:
- The size of the Oranga Tamariki social worker workforce has increased, and a further $41 million has been put towards their professionalisation in Budget 25 alone.
- Caregivers are receiving greater support, training, and have played a key role in developing the latest caregiver strategy.
- The percentage of children in care who have been visited by their social worker within the target time to ensure their ongoing safety and wellbeing is up significantly.
- Young people in Oranga Tamariki care with a current caregiver support plan that sets out the actions that will be taken to meet caregiver needs, to enable them to provide quality care, has improved.
“While politics may be a contest of ideas, all of us across the House should put the care and protection of children and young people above petty point scoring. It’s sad to see the Greens failed this moral test.
“The Greens have told the media I won’t meet with them to discuss these issues. The truth is they never reached out. Their dishonesty does no child or family any good.
“My entire reason for entering politics was to ensure that another generation of children wasn’t failed by the system as I was, and I remain committed to putting the needs of young people above all else.”
Open Letter to Minister Chhour
Kia ora Minister Chhour,
We are writing to you today with a deep concern for the wellbeing and safety of tamariki across Aotearoa.
Every tamaiti in Aotearoa, whether in the care of whānau or the state, deserves to grow up with safety and stability, wrapped in aroha.
However, right now, far too many tamariki are being failed by a care system that is under-resourced, disconnected from whakapapa, and lacking a focus on preventing harm before it happens.
Social workers are overwhelmed, facing dangerously high caseloads. Community providers are dealing with funding cuts and funding uncertainty every year. Independent oversight recommendations are constantly ignored. Far too many children in our care system are not having their fundamental rights met.
As Minister for Children, you hold responsibility to ensure this system upholds the rights and dignity of every child in Aotearoa.
That is why we are asking you to commit to a ‘Duty of Care’. A set of seven core promises that speak to the fundamental system change required protect tamariki, put them at the heart of government decision making and deliver a system that truly serves children.
These duties of care are based on the voices and lived experience of care-experienced young people, whānau, community providers, Māori leaders, and the recommendations of several inquiries. They reflect the values of te Tiriti o Waitangi and the rights guaranteed under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Detailed below, these duties of care are backed by clear, achievable policy commitments:
The seven duties of care
- Every child’s whānau and whakapapa must be centred
Tamariki Māori remain disproportionately effected in a colonial state care system. We call for legislative reform to embed whānau and hapū leadership in decisions about tamariki and to re-centre care around whakapapa guided by mana enhancing processes. - Every child must be free from poverty
Poverty is a key driver of harm. We call for bold income support reforms including a universal payment and a simplified Family Top Up scheme to ensure every child grows up with the resources they need to thrive. - Every child must be supported, every step of their journey
Children often fall through the cracks of the systems designed to protect them. We call for long term investment in prevention, trauma informed care and strong transition pathways, ensuring that funding and support follows the child across government service providers at all stages of life. - Every child must be heard, respected, and placed at the heart of decision-making
Tamariki are still too often excluded from the systems meant to protect them. We call for the full incorporation of the UN children’s rights into domestic legislation, safeguarded funding for independent advocacy and mandatory child impact assessments in all government decisions. - Every child must be protected
Oversight without binding recommendations is not enough. We call for strong, independent, enforceable oversight of the care system including full implementation of all 138 recommendations of the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care. - Every child must have a stable, nurturing home
Too many children face multiple care placements once in the Oranga Tamariki care system, and as such, lack the secure relationships they need. We call for a professional caregiving accreditation model, strong support for caregivers and clear accountability between the state and care providers. - Every child is cared for by a well-supported workforce
Workforce shortages, high caseloads and a lack of trauma-informed training undermine care quality. We call for equitable and fair pay, manageable workloads and targeted workforce development that prioritises community providers.
ENDS
