Over the last few months, Ara Taiohi has been digesting the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith Care. We are disgusted by the cruel abuses outlined by the Royal Commission. We welcome today’s official recognition that these acts should not have happened, and trust should not have been broken.

We would like to acknowledge the impact the report has on had survivors of abuse, including any rangatahi who have been affected by abuse. Alongside the dedicated organisations and ngā kaimahi who support survivors of abuse, the youth development sector is here to awhiana those for whom this report is not just words, but their lived reality.

We must build back better, build a system with rangatahi at its very centre. The legacy of this government will be measured by their ability to respond appropriately, to create a physically safe and emotionally nurturing environment for children and young people in care.

Ara Taiohi and our partners across the youth development sector will continue to engage with the government to encourage the inclusion of positive youth development approaches within protection policies and practices, and to highlight the role that trained youth workers can play in delivering a holistic system that protects and cherishes our rangatahi.

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