August 28, 2015
CYF neglect highlights Whanau Ora need
The North Island Whanau Ora commissioning agency is ready to step into the gap identified by a damning report on Child, Youth and Family.
Te Pou Matakana chair Merepeka Raukawa-Tait says the Children’s Commissioner’s report confirms yet again the status quo does not work, and it's time to adopt a Whanau Ora approach when working with children and young people, especially the high number of Maori in state care.
She says government agencies should resource communities adequately to look after communities.
Whanau Ora shifts the focus from individuals to collectives and from crisis intervention to capability building.
Ms Raukawa-Tait says it works for families because it empowers whanau to transform their own futures by taking control of their lives.
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