April 08, 2016
Whanau pleas heard in CYF reform
The senior Maori official at Child Youth and Family says she’s looking forward to working with iwi and Whanau Ora providers on a new approach to looking after vulnerable young people.
The Government has given the tick to key recommendations of the Rebstock committee review on youth services, including replacing Child, Youth and Family Service with a child protection agency that puts the needs of young people front and centre.
Glenis Philip-Barbara, the agency’s associate deputy chief executive, says what’s music to her ears is the requirement whanau, hapu and iwi must be involved in decisions about young people so the right support is put in place.
She says every solution can’t be designed in Wellington, so anyone with something positive to offer whanau and mokopuna Maori have been invited to the table, including Whanau Ora providers.
"Our people giving feedback around the current system said clearly it's our whanau who need support. Our kids have told us please help my whanau, please help my mum and dad, please help my auntie and uncle, my nanny and papa to be able to hang on to me, to be able to care for me. Whanau ora provides critical interventions on the ground amongst our people," Ms Philip-Barbara says.
The report touches in issues Maori have been calling for since the 1988 Puao Te Ata Tu report.
GLENIS PHILIP BARBARA INTERVIEW
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com