May 09, 2019
Baby grab sparks call to remove Moss
The head of a Māori research institute is calling for the removal of the Oranga Tamariki chief executive Grainne Moss because of the increasing number of tamariki Māori taken from whānau under her watch.
Associate Professor Leonie Pihama from the University of Waikato’s Te Kotahi Research Institute says over the past four years there has been a significant increase in the number of Māori newborn babies taken by the state, from 110 in 2015 to 172 in 2018.
There has also been an increase of abuse inflicted on Māori children in the state system.
Dr Pihama says Māori were told the shift from Child Youth and Family to Oranga Tamariki would make the ministry more accountable to Māori, but instead its removal of Māori children from whānau has increased.
She says whānau, hapū and iwi need to take control of the wellbeing of their tamariki.
What is happening is social workers who have no connection to the whānau or community are making decisions without whānau input, defining who whānau are, and even threatening whānau with removal despite changes being made and support systems put in place.
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