Charitable, person and whānau-oriented provider strongly supports Royal Commission into Abuse in Care

Spectrum Care is strongly supportive of the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry’s investigation into the abuse of children, young people and vulnerable adults within State and faith-based institutions. We have actively partnered with and supported the Royal Commission in its aims and work since its formation in 2018.

The current hearings are providing a vital opportunity for survivors of abuse and neglect in psychiatric and psychopaedic institutions, as well as people from the deaf and disabled communities, to share their experiences in a public forum.

One oral presentation made during this hearing involved allegations of bullying, abuse and neglect at Māngere Hospital. Media reporting of this presentation made an association between Māngere Hospital and Spectrum Care. Spectrum Care is a wholly different entity to its institutional precursor. Mangere Hospital began deinstutionalisation in 1988. Spectrum Care launched in 1994.

Spectrum Care has always sought to acknowledge and address New Zealand’s institutional past. These institutions were charged with the duty of care and responsibility for the wellbeing of thousands of New Zealanders. And yet, throughout these survivor stories, we hear and read of individuals being controlled, abused and degraded.

Spectrum Care undertook its own trauma-informed research project in 2010, which culminated in the publishing of ‘ Extraordinary Journeys’ . Spectrum Care also published its own history in 2014, ‘The first 20 years’ , which profiled in detail New Zealand’s institutional past, the closure of these institutions and the emergence of charitable, person and whanau-oriented, community-based providers such as Spectrum Care.

Spectrum Care recognises our customers have unique and evolving needs and aspirations and, by helping maximise the potential of the people we support, every person with a disability can achieve a life of choice, freedom and independence. We recognise the challenges our customers and their whānau face and the role we play in exacerbating or overcoming them.

We’re committed to finding new ways to deliver better outcomes to our customers, and work in partnership with people at all ages and stages of their lives. It is the strength of our commitment to the people we support that we’re most proud of.

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