Photo: 123rf
A thorough impact assessment needs to be conducted before any final decision are made regarding force of use against children in boot camps, the Children's Commissioner says.
It comes after a leaked ministerial briefing showed Children's Minister Karen Chhour acknowledged that giving boot camp providers the power to use force would raise the risk of abuse in custody.
Cabinet has signed off on the use of physical force against youth offenders to protect themselves or others, or stop them escaping.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Tuesday that force will be used only where necessary.
"They're used as a last resort and the reality of the situation is that we have serious young offenders ... who will get themselves into situations that do require restraint.
"That's got to be used under very, very strict guidelines. But a lot of our focus needs to be, and needs to continue to be, that we've got the right protection, the right safeguarding."
Children's Commissioner on use of force in boot camps
Speaking to Morning Report, Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad said she had not seen the leaked document but at the heart of it, it was about how children are cared for.
She said the children in the boot camps are have had the toughest life experience, have mental health struggles and are "disproportionately mokopuna Māori" and have disabilities such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).
She said evidence from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had shown how force against children can cause serious harm.
Achmad said "we must be very cautious here", and take time to thoroughly consider the issue from all children's rights angles.
Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
She said she would not want any use of force used against children in a situation where they were deprived of their liberty.
"There are alternatives available to de-escalate situations, such as building strong rapport and engagement with young people in those settings, having the right specialist teams and capability in place, but seeing as this is being contemplated, what I am saying is we need to take the time to consider a thorough child impact assessment before any final decisions are made here."
Achmad said she had written to Oranga Tamariki with her concerns around the use of force and other children's rights kaupapa.
She said she would have liked the organisation to engage her earlier to seek her specialist view in the policy process but that had not happened.
She had yet to hear back from Oranga Tamariki but was looking forward to engaging with the organisation further in the next few weeks.
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