The latest Independent Children’s Monitor report reveals there has been no improvement in child safety. Now, advocates are calling for Oranga Tamariki to dissolve and to hand over to iwi and hapū services to help turn these figures around.
The data shows that 530 tamariki were abused while in state care. 1,319 high-risk children were identified as urgent but had no social worker assigned to the and children in care now see an average of 11 different social workers.
Ihorangi Reweti-Peters, a survivor of state care, says these statistics are a confirmation of a system that has lost its way.
He is now calling for the dismantling of the current structure.
“The provisions of care need to be transferred to whānau, hapū and iwi who know what our tamariki and rangatahi need most”, he said.
Reweti-Peters points to Ngāpuhi Iwi Social Services as a prime example of how Māori-led entities are already stepping up. As the largest iwi-led social service provider in the country, they focus on Ngāpuhitanga, which is a model that wraps care around a child’s whakapapa and identity.
It is a system built on restoration rather than just intervention, proving that the capability to lead already exists within the iwi.
Much like the Ngāpuhi model, Ngāti Kahungunu also have their own program to care for its tamariki.
Through Te Ara Mātua, they have established their own hubs in Heretaunga and Napier.
Tumu Whakarae for Ngāti Kahungunu, Chrissie Hape, is confident that the by Māori for Māori model works
“We must shift that power and control mindset to a way of sharing the accountability and that the opportunity to create better wellbeing for whānau..the better we’ll be.”
Te Ara Mātua
Key pillars of their approach include Waharua: Iwi kaimahi are the first point of contact, triaging cases to ensure whānau get support before a situation escalates to an uplift.
Pinepine te Kura: A strategy that reinforce the view of tamariki as taonga to be protected within their own whakapapa.
“I think iwi Maori have a role to play both at the front door...But there will always be a need for oranga tamariki to service those high and complex needs that require government intervention”
As survivors and iwi leaders continue to lobby for more Māori-led solutions, the pressure shifts to the Beehive.
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour, who has publicly backed devolving resources to the community, says she understands the frustration of survivors and advocates. While acknowledging the critical role of iwi and hapū, she highlights the 90% success rate achieved by a Waikato-based provider.
“We’ve recently signed an agreement with Tai Timu, Tai Pari, a collective of iwi and hapū and NGO’s for a new prototype to support whānau and reduce entry into state care.”
The Minister maintains that the government is actively bolstering the workforce. She points to a doubling of social worker numbers and the creation of an “Allied Workforce” role designed to provide administrative and clinical support, allowing social workers to focus on their core duties.
Chrissie Hape argues that the gap in care is caused by a lack of accountability from other agencies like Health and Education, and believes iwi-led frameworks can bridge it.
“Oranga Tamariki can’t do this by themselves”
Ihorangi Reweti-Peters says the goal remains to be a model where tamariki are treated as people with a whakapapa, not just a number on a case file.
