Nurses support ‘Oranga Tamariki’

Nurses support ‘Oranga Tamariki’

Responding to the announcement of the new name for the government agency the ‘Ministry for Vulnerable Children’, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Kaiwhakahaere says she will be choosing to use its Māori name, ‘Oranga Tamariki’.

Kaiwhakahaere, Kerri Nuku says she agrees with Children’s Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft that the Māori name is aspirational and reflects the kaupapa of nurses working with our young people and theirwhānau/families.

“The strong feeling from health professionals who are working closely with children, young people and their whānau/families is that they need support to be well, physically, mentally, and as part of our community” she said today. “Oranga Tamariki reflects exactly this aspiration, which is why I’ll be choosing to use the te reo name. I encourage all NZNO members and other health professionals, and the community to take up this wero too.”

“It’s no secret that Māori children and young people are disproportionately represented in the statistics of poor health and domestic abuse. Everyone knows this, and we don’t need to hear more of the same story. Māori are guaranteed the same right to health as all other New Zealanders under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. What nurses understand is that you need to work in a positive and culturally appropriate way, walking alongside our communities until that right is achieved.”

“I congratulate the new agency on their holistic choice of name in te reo. We look forward to working with them on this shared vision- every child in Aotearoa healthy and thriving”.

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