Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Work is underway to end a long record of child abuse within Oranga Tamariki over the next three years.
Since June 1, 22 staff have been let go and three have been criminally charged following multiple incidents of serious misconduct, ranging from verbal to sexual abuse of young people in care.
An external review into Oranga Tamariki's secure residences emphasised the need to prevent future harm to children through specialised care, therapeutic intervention and respect of whakapapa.
The report revealed several problems at Youth Justice facilities, including allegations of bullying, harassment, sexual and physical assault.
Staff were unqualified to look after high needs tamariki and some hired friends with gang connections.
Children's Commissioner Judge Frances Eivers. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith
Children's Commissioner Frances Eivers told Morning Report the review had given her hope that Oranga Tamariki could improve.
"I welcome this review. It's taken a good look at the systems overall and is looking at the needs of these children. They deserve to be safe, and they deserve to be well-cared for.
The children were in these residences because they had had trauma in their lives, Eivers said.
"They need therapy and care that respects who they are as individuals and embraces their whānau and their whakapapa."
The report found staff were largely unskilled and ill equipped to look after high-needs tamariki.
Eivers said the staffing problems were not surprising and had already been identified in monitoring reports carried out by her team.
"Across the country there was a staff shortage, so people who were not trained [were being hired] and then that wasn't followed through.
The Children's Commissioner was pleased that there was a plan to do something.
"It's not just the vetting [of new staff] - it's training, and it's ensuring the staff have the resources and knowledge to deal with these mokopuna. That's been a call from Oranga Tamariki staff for a long time.
"You've got to have good systems and good standards when you're looking after our most vulnerable children. There is no other way to do it."
Eivers said the review recognised that the management of youth justice residences had not been considered central to what Oranga Tamariki do.
"[The residences are] referred to in the report as the 'poor cousin' - and the fact that they're not any more is great."
The Office of the Children's Commissioner had been advocating for some time to improve partnerships with the community, "to devolve these large, 1950s-esque institutions down to community-based models where each child and their whānau and their needs are looked after so that they don't reoffend again.
"The proof will be in the pudding but there's a plan and we and others will keep Oranga Tamariki to this plan. At least something was done quickly and effectively once these issues were identified."
VOYCE chief executive Tracie Shipton, left, launched a 'You Promised - Now Deliver' campaign in August. Photo: Rayssa Almeida / RNZ
Care-experienced advocacy agency VOYCE - Whakarongo Mai said it was time for action, with clear deadlines to make improvements
VOYCE chief executive Tracie Shipton said Oranga Tamariki must have better staff and leadership.
"We want to see some action and that was missing in this report. It needed some specific action points: when are they going to happen, how are they going to happen.
"We need political leaders to stop harping on about [being] tough on crime, and start thinking about our young people and the future of our country.
"What these young people need is loving and nurturing care," Shipton said.