Turia concerned at proposal to 'remove "bad kids" from families

Associate Social Development Minister, Tariana Turia, has reacted strongly against any suggestion that Government should “put violent or misbehaving children in foster care”.

“The idea of removing so-called ‘bad kids’ from their families really concerns me” said Mrs Turia. “Why should we punish the young for the failure of our generation to respond to their needs?”

“I’m not saying that the challenges of our young people are easily dealt with” said Mrs Turia. “But isolating a child from their sense of belonging risks adding a whole new set of issues to the mix – not the least being a sense of alienation and abandonment”.

“We have a completely different approach – which is that instead of focusing on the child as the problem, and pulling them out of their family, we support the family as the best possible site for solutions to be found”.

“The birth parents should not have to bear this responsibility on their own” said Mrs Turia. “For tamariki Maori, our custom has always been that the hapu, or wider kin group, has traditionally exercised responsibility for the care and protection of a child”.

“I believe these values need re-emphasis – that the physical, social and spiritual wellbeing of a Maori child is inextricably linked to the sense of belonging within the wider whanau”.

“My experiences with Pasifika communities, and other communities living in Aotearoa, has shown me that the restrengthening of the extended family offers great hope for meaningful and positive outcomes” said Mrs Turia.

“That is why I am keen to look again at the concept of Matua Whangai” said Mrs Turia. “The original focus of this programme was to nurture children within their family groups – it is a principle which I place great store on”.