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Download AudioYouth advocates says Government needs to act to ensure the human rights of children and young people in care are upheld.
Tupua Urlich from VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai says New Zealand has signed up to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and then repeatedly breached those rights.
His own experiences in care showed him how behaviour could turn criminal because of poor treatment and lack of support.
“Rather than address the underlying needs – the trauma, the separation from whanau, the isolation – we just lock them up and say ‘that’ll be alright. By the time they’re 17 they will be fine.’ As long as we raise children in prison-like environments we should not be sitting back and expecting them to turn out fine and contributing members of society,” Mr Urlich says.
VOYCE Aotearoa will hold a national summit of young care leaders in Wellington as past of its You Promised Now Deliver campaign, before delivering a petition to parliament.
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