1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Children's Commissioner and Independent Children's Monitor calling out Karen Chaw 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: for cherry picking stats this morning they reckon the abuse 3 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: in state care is getting worse, and the Minister put 4 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:13,160 Speaker 1: out a press release saying recorded harm was going down 5 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: a fourteen percent reduction and recorded harm across the cure 6 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: residences since twenty twenty four. Ordering a Tamainiki's annual report 7 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,079 Speaker 1: says five hundred and thirty children in care experienced harm 8 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:26,279 Speaker 1: in the year to March twenty three, more than the 9 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: previous year. 10 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 2: So what gives Karen Chaws with me now, Minister, good morning. 11 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 3: Good morning. 12 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 2: Are you cherry picking here? What's going on? 13 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 3: So the harm that you're speaking to around that could 14 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 3: be anything so low level, high level. The harm that 15 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:49,880 Speaker 3: I'm talking about in the decrease in residences is serious 16 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 3: harm where a child or young person has an injury 17 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 3: that is serious. So there's been a massive reduction in 18 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 3: harm and retil and it's the first time ever we're 19 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,320 Speaker 3: seeing no reduction and harm and residence in New Zealan. 20 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 3: And this is really important to me because I actually 21 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:12,199 Speaker 3: set this as a real priority when I first came 22 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,960 Speaker 3: into Parliament because children deserve to be safe no matter 23 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:19,639 Speaker 3: where they live and within a residence. These young people 24 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 3: deserve to have the best protection they possibly can and 25 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 3: be able to have a chance to turn their lives around. 26 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 3: And they're not going to do that if they're not 27 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:31,320 Speaker 3: feeling safe where they live. So what I announced yesterday 28 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:35,199 Speaker 3: is around a program that we have put in place 29 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 3: to make sure that our staff have better training, better oversight, 30 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 3: We have better recruitment and strengthened leadership to make sure 31 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 3: that these kids are safe. I understand where where the 32 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 3: Children's Commissioner is coming from. Any harm is not okay, 33 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 3: and we have to make sure that we're clearly focused 34 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 3: on that. 35 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 2: Minister. What is serious harm or what's minor harm that 36 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 2: we shouldn't be worried about that's been going up. 37 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 3: I guess it's recordings like within the MSA when we 38 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 3: had two recordings of harm and one with a cut 39 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 3: finger and one with some burn sometimes. 40 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 2: So's we're not talking here about physical abuse, you know, 41 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 2: either caregiver on young person abuse or a young person 42 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 2: on young person abuse. It could be anything tripping and falling, 43 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 2: stubbing a toe. 44 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 3: This fourteen percent reduction of finding of harm is based 45 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 3: on it could be physical abuse where a child this 46 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 3: is what I'm speaking to today, is physical abuse where 47 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 3: a child or a young person has injury or it 48 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 3: was at risk of injury. Sexual abuse or including exposure 49 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 3: to sexual activity and sexual imagery and grooming behaviors. Neglect 50 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 3: where the basic needs of a child a young person 51 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 3: has not been met. Emotional abuse with mental health and 52 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 3: social or emotional functioning and development. So Master, what I 53 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 3: would also say, what's the number? 54 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 2: What's the number? So the five hundreds, because this is 55 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 2: what they're coming at you with, right, So that the 56 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 2: five hundred and thirty children here who experienced harm in 57 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,080 Speaker 2: the last year, up from five hundred and seven the 58 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 2: year before. 59 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,239 Speaker 3: So the number I'm reporting to is in twenty twenty 60 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,959 Speaker 3: four to twenty twenty five, there was around one hundred 61 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:25,239 Speaker 3: and ninety five findings of harm and for one hundred 62 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 3: and for one hundred and fifteen children and young people 63 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,639 Speaker 3: in residential placement. In the previous year there were two 64 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 3: hundred and twenty eight findings of harm for one hundred 65 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 3: and eighteen children. What I would also say is eighty 66 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 3: three percent of the harm experience that was caused by 67 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 3: other children in placement and twelve percent was by staff, 68 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 3: so we're really breaking this down so we've got a 69 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 3: good understanding of. 70 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 2: What's happening, Minister, Given that most of the harm is 71 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 2: between the young people, do you need to separate them 72 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 2: out of it more. 73 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 3: This is why we've put legislation changed through Parliament even 74 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 3: recently in response to not only needing the necessity of 75 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 3: making sure young people are safe, but in response to 76 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 3: the Abuse and Care inquiry where residences. We're a big 77 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 3: part of the story that was told from survivors in care, 78 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 3: so we need to make sure that we're keeping these 79 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:25,919 Speaker 3: young people safe. Some of the routines we've done more 80 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 3: staff is that they have clear bags now when they're 81 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 3: coming within residents, so we can see what they're bringing 82 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 3: into residents, and contraband is lower. 83 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 2: So it sounds like you're making moves on all the 84 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 2: right places, Minister, but obviously some disagreement about exactly how 85 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 2: safe the young people there are. 86 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 1: Karen, appreciate your time this one and Karen Shaw Children's Minister. 87 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 3: For more from earlier edition with Ryan Bridge. 88 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 2: Listen live to News Talks it Be from five am weekdays, 89 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 2: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.