Jane Searle: Child Matters CEO on the report finding an increase in abuse in state care and lack of care

A child protection advocate says an increase in abuse and neglect in care cases comes as no surprise.  

A report by the Independent Children's Monitor has found the number of young people being abused in state care has increased, and children aren't receiving the minimum standards of care required.

Child Matters Chief Executive Jane Searle told Mike Hosking things need to change. 

She says the report shows Oranga Tamariki is still not doing what it was designed to do. 

Searle says changes need to start with the huge workload of social workers. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now the report for you that informs us that a
child abuse and state care is going nowhere good. Last year,
five hundred and seven state care incidents were reported, which
is up on the year before. In Independent Children's Monitor
has found nearly nine percent of kids who end up
in O rang of Tamriki's care of abuse. We'd love
to talk to our Rang of Tamariki, but they don't.
They don't like to talk to people about it because
it's all been embarrassing. As far as I can work

(00:20):
out anyway, Child Matters CEO Jane Searls with us Jane morning,
Good morning mate. I find all this very very depressing
because it've been going on for years and god knows
how many interviews I've done on it over the years.
Are we ever going to get our act together here
or not?

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Well, this report brings no surprises at all and still
showing ordering it Tommy isn't doing what it was designed
to do. It's a big ship to turn around, Mike,
but this report shows these leadership issues there and his
basic systems issues. So we could start there.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
Is the key in who they hand the kid to.
I mean, surely we can ask a simple question, why
would a government agency hand a child over to somebody
who was going to hit them.

Speaker 2 (01:00):
Well, as you've said, really concerning that, so many of
the children in care are suffering abuse and neglect and
it's just unforgivable. It is a key. So the workload
is one thing. The workload of their social workers. If
they don't have the time and the resources to do
their job to place these children and monitor them, that
is going to bring these results that we're getting. And
I think if you want to look great to about
this report, it's got failings on multiple levels, but we

(01:23):
need to start with the workload of the social workers.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
Okay, are you seeing any signs of the so called
turnaround that's been going on now for several years of OT.

Speaker 2 (01:31):
Well, this report and I think it's a pretty good snapshot,
shows a few highlights, and there are some good social
workers don't work, but any progress is very, very slow.
We still have leadership issues, we still have systems issues,
computer and it issues. You know, when you've got any
organization that's got these things, it's not going to deliver results.
So to answer your question, do I do. I see

(01:52):
some good work and some good work discussed. We know
what we have to fix. Progress is very very slow.

Speaker 1 (01:57):
Are they a little bit trapped in the sense that
I'm assuming this an extremely limited number of people who
will want to take on kids, and therefore you're sort
of stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
Does that fair or not finding good placements? It's very tough.
That's completely fair. And you know, it's a very hard
job to find placements for these children and they need
intensive support and care, so that is one of the issues.
But we can do better than what we're doing. I mean,
as you said, over five hundred children suffering abuse in
the glique. They're in our care, in this country's care,
so that that is just not a good enough standard.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
All right, we'll get you on again. I'm sure Jane
appreciate your insight. Joan and Ceyl who's the Child Matter CEO.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
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