More children are being placed in state care in New Zealand as compared to a year ago — rising by 20% — figures obtained by 1News show.
This increase has raised concerns among abuse survivors and child welfare advocates, with worries that it goes against advice put forward by the landmark Abuse in Care inquiry, which released its findings yesterday.
In the financial year ending mid-2024, 1313 children were placed in state care, according to provisional data, up from 1082 in the previous period.
The rise in the most recent year follows a period of decline, with entries having dropped from 1974 in the year ending mid-2019, to 1029 in 2022.
Oranga Tamariki maintains that its focus on early intervention and collaboration with whānau and communities has successfully reduced state care placements over the past five years — with numbers “largely stabilised” in the past three.
It said there would be “variation year to year for a variety of reasons”.
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour acknowledged the complexity of the situation.
“If we need to uplift because they’re unsafe, we will do it,” she said.
“But when we do uplift, my expectation is that they are safe.”
The minister added: “I don’t like our young people being in care and protection … but what I would also say, is that we can’t close down something without a solution.”
Oranga Tamariki said decisions are complex, often made in a crisis situation and can require social workers to make tricky judgement calls.
One mother, whose child is currently under state monitoring, told 1News about how they experienced interacting with the system.
Her child’s sibling was previously killed by their father, who was convicted of manslaughter. The mother, who stands by the father and maintains that the incident was an accident, fears that her child may end up in state care.
“I’m fighting for my kids. Why can’t they see that? I’m fighting for their future.”
Commission highlights state system failings
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care has recommended fundamental changes in New Zealand’s care system, to safeguard children.
It said there was no future for Oranga Tamariki and recommended the state hand over power, funding, and control to care services at a local level.
Researcher Elizabeth Stanley emphasised the need for change.
“This report demonstrates that all too often care is lacking and we need a fundamental re-envisioning of care in our country,” she said.
Just as the Pike River tragedy led to WorkSafe, the Royal Commission said the abuse it uncovered should lead to a new “Care Safe Agency” — responsible for preventing and responding to abuse across all state and faith care settings.
It was among the 138 recommendations put forward by the Royal Commission.
Oranga Tamariki response on numbers
Oranga Tamariki chief social worker Nicolette Dickson said the decision to bring any child into care is “only made after all the other options have been explored, and when coming into care is the best way to ensure the safety of a child”.
“Since 2019 there has been a significant reduction in the number of children who have come into care although these numbers have largely stabilised over the last three years and there can be variation year to year for a variety of reasons,” she said in a statement.
“The overall sustained reduction in entry to care over the last five years has been achieved by intervening earlier, involving whānau more consistently in decision making and working more closely with partners in the community.
“Oranga Tamariki takes all allegations of harm seriously and we have a statutory responsibility to assess all reported concerns.
“These concerns are usually brought to us when a person believes te tamaiti (the child) has been, or is likely to be harmed, ill-treated, abused, neglected, or deprived, or they have serious concerns about the well-being of te tamaiti. ”
She added: “In some cases, a child can only be kept safe by removing them from the home they are in, often on a temporary basis.
“This can happen either with the agreement of the parents or by Oranga Tamariki seeking orders from the Family Court.
“These decisions are complex, often made in a crisis situation and may require social workers to make judgement calls based on limited information.
“If a child is removed from their home, social workers work hard to identify a safe member of their whānau to care for them while longer term decisions can be made about what is best for them.”