Social Development Minister’s Speech on Child Abuse to Iwi Leaders Meeting

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has given a speech to iwi leaders which calls for a cooperative effort on child abuse.

The speech has attracted media interest and comment. In the speech the Minister speaks of a “hole in our wairua”. To illustrate her points the Ministers uses a fictitious case study of an at risk 10 year old child named Wiremu and his mother and notes that the iwi leaders “know her like the Government can’t”.

She proposes two specific ideas for which she seeks support:
“Whanau Finders” in Child, Youth and Family regions whose role would be to track down external whanau who can play a role in decisions around care for the children, and
Expanded use of Marae-based Family Group Conferences for younger children.
The Minister explains she is one voice in Cabinet and has no funding for these ideas and asks the leaders if they will “put your hands in your pockets and commit some resources to a joint effort”

The speech also cites Child, Youth and Family statistics on the abuse of Maori children and the known iwi affiliations of those in care.

The speech was delivered on 21 August 2010 and is available here: http://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/iwi+leaders+meeting