Children in State Care Must Be Repatriated With Their Hapū

Friday, 23 May 2014, 4:52 pm
Press Release: Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc

23 May 2014

Iwi Calls for Children in State Care to Be Repatriated With Their Hapū

Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated (NKII) and Child, Youth and Family (CYF, a service of the Ministry of Social Development) will be working closely together to meet the goals, objectives and aspirations of Ngāti Kahungunu whānau.

On the 29th May 2014 the two organisations will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to formalise this working relationship.

“We want to bring home all children of Kahungunu descent who are in CYFs care outside the Kahungunu region,” says Jenny Smith - Director of the NKII Te Ara Toiora Unit.

“This is part of our whānau repatriation strategy, an important step in the care of these children by whānau members in our tribal region which stretches from Wairarapa to Wairoa.”

“We want to develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders like Child Youth and Family, so we can harness and focus positive efforts to help whānau and hapū,” says Jenny.

“Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi wants to ensure that initiatives and strategies by government agencies such as the Ministry of Social Development are focused on the care and wellbeing of our whānau and hapū, by our own people.”

NKII Chief Executive Dr Adele Whyte says, “By building relationships with government agencies, we believe that we can connect our young whānau members into a caring hapū environment that will connect them to their cultural identity and provide many of the basic tools that will help these young people to grow into healthy, strong and vibrant adults.”

Ngāti Kahungunu is the third largest iwi. Geographically the tribe has the second longest coastline in the country from Paritū in the North to Turakirae in the South. Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated maintains an independent position to provide research, advice and advocate for the interests, rights, values, beliefs and practices of Ngāti Kahungunu alongside our whānau and hapū. Our mission is to enhance the mana and well-being of Ngāti Kahungunu.

ENDS

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