There’s deep frustration and concern from those working closely with care experienced tamariki who say the release of a report from Aroturuki Tamariki, the Independent Children’s Monitor further proves there’s a serious lack of protection for our most vulnerable children.
The report, which looked at the implementation of the recommendations from Dame Karen Poutasi following the death of 5-year-old Malachi Subecz, revealed tamariki are no safer now than when Malachi died.
Malachi was just 5 years old when his life was tragically cut short here in New Zealand. Malachi was not in state care, but reports of concern had been made about him.
VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai has been advocating for care experienced tamariki since 2017, and CEO Tracie Shipton says protection systems, designed to shield children like Malachi, let him down with disastrous consequences for he and his whānau.
Dame Poutasi was asked to review the system’s response to Malachi’s situation, and made 13 recommendations based on what she found. A year on, the Independent Children’s Monitor has revealed that none of her recommendations were successfully implemented.
“Our hearts are broken that another young child who was overlooked by the system can die, and that none of the steps required to prevent another tragedy like it have been actioned. We’ve seen and heard recommendations like these time and time again. We can’t keep raising these issues and doing nothing about them.”
Shipton says it’s further evidence of a fractured system that’s failing young people across the motu.
“I wonder how much more we can sink before we reach rock bottom. What is it going to take for New Zealand to come together and demand better? There are beautiful innocent children and babies being killed, and still nothing is changing.”
“I fear for the many children in New Zealand, right now, who need help like Malachi Subecz. This report unequivocally shows that it’s luck and not a strong system’s response that’s stopped this tragic situation from happening again.”
Since the Independent Children’s Monitor finalised its report, a number of agencies have progressed actions from their own reviews, but not enough to give the ICM confidence that tamariki are any more likely to be seen or kept safe now than they were when Malachi died.
“It was only a week ago that the Royal Commission of Inquiry’s report into abuse in state care was released alongside 138 recommendations for change.”
“We can no longer accept recommendations without action”.
VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai has commended the Independent Children’s Monitor for taking a strong stand on behalf of Malachi and his whanau.
“Its report proves how important it is that survivors are heard and the Royal Commission’s findings are acted upon. These are not historical issues that we can leave in the past, they persist to this very day” says Shipton.
There’s also disappointment that the report comes the same week as funding cuts to key providers of frontline services for children and families.
“How can there be any meaningful change at the coalface, when resources and staffing keep getting cut every week. This is a care system approaching a crisis point.”
With little action across multiple agencies since the Poutasi report, the Independent Children’s Monitor now intends to again look at the issue in 12 months’ time.
“We welcome this move, and hope it will force the hands of some of these agencies like Oranga Tamariki. These recommendations will not disappear, and neither will the voices of those affected by abuse.”
You can view the full Independent Children’s Monitor report here: https://aroturuki.govt.nz/reports
