Following the release of a new report, the Chief Children’s Commissioner says there are still not enough safety nets to protect Aotearoa New Zealand’s children from harm.

Towards a stronger safety net to prevent abuse of children, published today by Aroturuki Tamariki – Independent Children’s Monitor, provides a review of progress made in implementing the recommendations of Dame Karen Poutasi following the death of Malachi Subecz.

“As the independent advocate working for and with mokopuna, I’m deeply concerned by this report,” says Chief Children’s Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad. “What is says to me is that we still haven’t built a system that truly prioritises the safety of our mokopuna – of all our children in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“Malachi wasn’t seen at a time when he most needed to be seen. This review concludes that mokopuna are no safer now than when Malachi died, and that is extremely concerning.”

Six government agencies completed reviews of their own processes following Malachi’s murder, and chief executives from these agencies commissioned a system-wide review from Dame Karen Poutasi in 2021, resulting in 14 clear recommendations, laid out in her report Ensuring Strong and Effective Safety Nets to Prevent Abuse of Children report. Aroturuki Tamariki’s report now outlines its findings from its checks on progress of these recommendations.

Aroturuki Tamariki has found that despite some small and initial changes underway, the recommendations made in the Safety Nets report have not been implemented and the system change Dame Karen called for has not happened.

“Just a week on from the findings of the Royal Commission into Abuse in State Care and Faith-based Institutions, we are now faced with the reality of another report that shows we are continuing to fail our children, by not acting with the intention and urgency required to prevent and respond to child abuse.

“It clearly shows that the critical gaps still exist, agencies are not yet working together strongly enough to prioritise the safety of children. It shows that Oranga Tamariki as the State care and protection agency still has work to do to get the basics right, so child safety concerns are appropriately responded to and abuse is prevented as much as possible.

“As Chief Children’s Commissioner, I have been very clear: every child has the right to grow up safe, yet we have a major problem when it comes to child abuse in our country. We can and must make the conscious and collective choice now to not let it keep happening.

“Against the backdrop of the Royal Commission’s findings, and the fact that on average, one child is killed every five weeks by homicide in Aotearoa New Zealand, this moment must galvanise us into action for a better future.”

The Chief Children’s Commissioner says she has three calls to action.

“Firstly, I’m calling for joint ministers and joint government agencies to work together at a practical level, with urgency, to prioritise the safety of children in everything they do.

“Alongside this I’m calling for more focus on prevention – not less. I’m highly concerned that the cuts being made to community-based social services, together with other changes like Police’s pull-back from family harm response will mean less children are visible, despite the clear need for more safety nets.

“Thirdly, I want to see Oranga Tamariki getting its core basics right for children, especially by focusing on children’s safety thorough quality social work and child-centred practice, including adequately and consistently responding to reports of concern.

“We need strong safety nets that no child can fall through. This is what will help to prevent more children being abused and dying from abuse. Let’s take the opportunities right in front of us with urgency, because this is about children’s lives.”

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