Debating Race in NZ - The Case of Child

Welfare Policies
Tuesday, 1 March 2016
8:10 PM

Pre-colonisation:

children were cared for within the context of whanau, hapu and iwi.
Whangai systems allowed for children to be raised by adults other than
their biological parents.

Early Colonial:

European solutions were imposed on the whole populations.

o
1867 - Neglected and Criminal Children Act
o
1882 - Industrial Schools Act.
No consultation with Maori and any Maori children were institutionalised or
placed with Pakeha families.

Early 1900's:

Shift from policing to welfare.

Approx. 1916 4000 children in care.
1925 Child Welfare Act - appointment of Child Welfare Officers to work with
families.
o
Strong emphasis on the benefits of a "good (European) family".
o
Little consideration for impact of familial separation.

1945 - 1960:

Shift from child welfare to social welfare.

1950's a Trial and Error process came in leading to multiple placements for
children.

1960's:

Increased emphasis on child abuse in the family.

Children often went in and out of care due to bad behaviour (often a result
of child abuse).
Care options included foster homes, children's homes and larger
institutions.
Very few trained welfare officers (ex teachers etc.)

1970's:

New Legislation - separated care and protection matters from offending.

Offenders would be placed under the Guardianship of the Director-General
and could remain in care until discharged (hugely unjust length).

1980's:

Advisory Committee on Youth and Law in our Multicultural Society

highlighted Maori inequalities in the system.
Whanau placements were not financially supported as foster homes
despite income deficiencies.
47% of children in the system (1983) were Maori.
Maori dissatisfaction with the care system was displayed by Puao-te-Atu.
o
Institutionalised racism.
New Legislation - The Children, Young Persons and their Families Act 1989
o
Strong family connections should be maintained.

1990's:

1992 - Still huge dissatisfaction with the care system.

Matua Whangai removed in 1993.
Brown report 2000 - recommended comprehensive assessment of the
system.

2000's:

2010 OCC report on quality of services for children in care.

o
Over 5000 in care.
o
Over 50% were Maori.
o
32% with Kin (50% for Maori).
Highlighted concerns about lack of transition planning and support for
young people who leave care at 17.

Recent Developments:

Review of the system by independent expert panel

o
Exceptionally poor outcomes for children in care (80% do not
achieve NCEA level 2).
o
Even bigger changes needed for Maori children in the system.
o
Needs to be a fundamental shift in the morals and expectations of
the systems.

Trends:

Over-representation of Maori in the care system despite repeated attempts

to address this.
No acknowledgement - contributed to the intergenerational patterns
increasing the likelihood of Maori children entering the care system.
o
The severance of whakapapa links and cultural alienation increases
vulnerability.
o
Failure to provide stability of care limits parenting capacity.
o
Research indicates that care leavers are more likely to be young
parents and put their children into care.

Institutional Racism:

Monocultural assumptions underpin practice and definitions of 'best

interests'.
o
Culture identity is not seen as fundamental to a person - more of an
add on.
o
Maori children are separated from their fundamental culture into the
dominant 'normal' white culture.
o
Reliance on 'good family experience' as solution without addressing
different cultural views on what makes a good family experience.
o
Family and Whanau are not interchangeable.
o
Writing off entire family networks on the basis of the experience
with child's family.
o
Failure to take account the effects of colonisation.

Cultural Racism:

Personal assumptions:
o
Justifying actions on a basis of 'good intentions' with no
accountability for impact.
o
NO space in mainstream thinking for acknowledging fundamental
differences between and individualistic culture and collective culture family vs. whanau.

Assumption with expertise - failure to acknowledge the limits of our

own knowledge and experience, especially when working crossculturally.

Dynamics of Racism:

In spite of facilitative legislation the mistakes of the past have continued

to be repeated.
Practice has the most direct impact on people's lives.

Future Challenges:

Acknowledging difference and working partnership.

o
Not about cultural sensitivity it is about knowing who we are and
what we do not know.
All people (including children) are the experts in their own

lives.
o
Decisions are only as good as the information on which they are
based.
Thomas's Law - if enough people believe something to be

true then it becomes the truth.

o
Negative outcomes are not inevitable.
o
Dominant culture - not recognising the fundamental break down in
the policies and system.
Children in care should be supported throughout school.

Move away from one size fits all.

Resourcing alternatives.
Getting the balance right between working with families to ensure they
have the resources to care for their own children.
The creation of a new entity in the system
o
Prevention and early intervention - support the families in the aim of
keeping families together.
o
Intensive intervention.
o
Care - prioritised, supported.
o
Youth Justice.
o
Transition from care - changes in the care stream and development
in community support systems (care leaving age from 17 to 18 and
provsion of support will have entitlement until they are 25).
Potential to ensure early support for children and families.