A new Child Protection Investigation Unit is being established to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children in care, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says.
“The report released by the Royal Commission into abuse in state care shows us all the risk of not acting immediately when there are serious concerns and complaints about the care provided for children.
“We must escalate concerns and respond with urgency and accuracy. This is one way we can ensure children in care are not harmed or subjected to the same treatment of the many survivors who shared their stories with the nation.
“Last week, Oranga Tamariki Acting Chief Executive Andrew Bridgman apologised to survivors of abuse in state care where he promised to do better and demand better from the care system. This is another step in Oranga Tamariki becoming a better ministry and putting action to their words.
“This initiative reflects our unwavering commitment to learning from past failures and restoring trust in the Care System. The unit will operate independently to ensure each investigation is separate from the day-to-day business of Oranga Tamariki and centred on the best interests of children.
“The unit will be established by independent experts led by Janis Adair, who is the current Chief Inspector at the Office of the Inspectorate.”
The objectives of the Child Protection Investigation Unit are to:
- Conduct rigorous and transparent investigations into cases where the care provided to a child by the state has caused harm
- Identify systemic failures to reform to the systems and practices of Oranga Tamariki
- Provide a voice for survivors by working with the Crown Response Office – ensuring the experiences of survivors inform ongoing improvements in care standards
- Promote accountability at all levels of the care system
“Our children deserve nothing less than a system that protects and values them. This unit is a pivotal step in addressing the gaps in our children care system and will be enabled to act with urgency to address any situation where a child in the care of the state is at risk of harm,” Karen Chhour says.
Janis Adair will lead the development of the terms of reference and the operational structure of the unit before the end of the year.
It will be operational at the beginning of 2025.
