March 05, 2024
Reform driving state care survivor
A finalist for the Young New Zealander of the Year award sees the nomination as a chance to continue advocating for vulnerable young people still in the care of Oranga Tamariki to be safe and have their needs met.
Ihorangi Reweti-Peters says in his own years in state care he experienced and witn horrible abuse by people supposed to be caregivers.
Advocacy had been a path out of that, after a series of suicide attempts in 2020 and 2021.
“Then it was my last admission into a mental health ward where a doctor asked me what my goals and ambitions were and I said I wanted to change the system to make it better not just for me but for the 6000 tamariki and rangatahi in Oranga Tamariki care,” Mr Reweti-Peters says.
He has released calls for action not to reduce the scope of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into abuse in state care and religious institutions, and for all young people till in the care of Oranga Tamariki to have access to mental health and counselling support.
Meanwhile, MPs were told yesterday the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care is unlikely to meet its March 28 deadline to hand in its report.
Internal Affairs secretary Paul James said his agency intends to ask for a third extension because of the scope of the inquiry and a judicial review into aspects of the inquiry.
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