After eight years of fighting to bring her children home, a Porirua mother has finally been reunited with her two tamariki, in a powerful story of determination, whānau advocacy and the importance of community support when navigating the Oranga Tamariki system.
Jackie, a mother of two, has had her children returned to her care after Oranga Tamariki orders relating to her daughter and son were discharged in August.
Her children were taken into state care in 2018, when her son was just seven weeks old.
What followed was an eight-year journey involving parenting courses, counselling, legal proceedings and countless supervised visits.
Throughout that time, Jackie says she never missed a single visit with her children.
Now, with her tamariki finally home, she is looking forward to rebuilding everyday family life without the uncertainty that defined much of the past eight years.
Eight Years of Fighting to Bring Her Children Home
Jackie says she completed the parenting programmes and counselling required of her while continuing to attend every scheduled visit with her children, often for just one hour at a time.
Despite her efforts, she felt the requirements for reunification continued to change, leaving her struggling to understand what more she needed to do.
Her experience raises questions about how parents involved in the care and protection system are supported, how progress towards reunification is assessed and whether families receive clear and consistent information about what is expected of them.
For Jackie, the process was emotionally exhausting, but her commitment to bringing her tamariki home never changed.
Porirua Whānau Centre Steps In
A critical source of support came from the Porirua Whānau Centre, where Jackie first connected with staff after enrolling her daughter in the centre’s early childhood service.
Her daughter, now 10, was just one year old when she began attending.
Kaimahi at the centre recognised that Jackie needed additional support and began helping her navigate the challenges surrounding her children’s care arrangements.
That assistance eventually included helping Jackie find a new lawyer after concerns emerged about whether her legal representation was adequately advocating for her interests.
The new lawyer remained involved until the Oranga Tamariki orders were discharged.
The centre’s support went beyond legal advocacy, providing Jackie with encouragement, practical guidance and people who understood her circumstances.
Family Group Conference Becomes a Turning Point
One of the most significant moments in Jackie’s journey came during a family group conference, when she was able to speak directly with her children’s foster parents.
Jackie explained that she had been attending every visit because she wanted her children returned to her care.
According to Jackie, the foster parents had been left with the impression that she did not want her tamariki back.
The conversation exposed a serious misunderstanding about her intentions and became an important turning point in the reunification process.
Her account highlights the importance of clear communication between parents, caregivers, social workers and the agencies responsible for making decisions about children’s care.
It also raises questions about whether parents’ efforts to maintain relationships with their children are always properly recognised and communicated.
Whānau Advocacy Makes a Difference
Jessica Te Huia, Korowai Service Manager at Porirua Whānau Centre, has known Jackie since she was one of her daughter’s early childhood teachers.
Te Huia says Jackie deserves recognition for the determination and hard work that ultimately helped bring her family back together.
She says the centre’s role was to provide consistent support, ensure Jackie understood her rights and help her navigate a complex system without feeling isolated.
The Whānau Centre is now participating in Hapori, a pilot partnership between Oranga Tamariki and community organisations working with families involved in the care and protection system.
The initiative aims to strengthen community-based support and place greater emphasis on relationships, trust and whānau participation in decisions affecting their lives.
For Te Huia, the approach reflects work the centre has been undertaking for years, recognising that families need practical assistance, advocacy and opportunities to have their voices heard.
Putting Whānau at the Centre of Oranga Tamariki Decisions
Jackie’s experience highlights wider questions about how Aotearoa’s care and protection system works with parents seeking to have their children returned.
While child safety and wellbeing must remain central to every decision, the case also demonstrates the importance of ensuring parents understand the expectations placed upon them and have access to effective legal and community support.
For Māori and community organisations working alongside whānau, the focus is often on addressing the circumstances that contribute to children entering care while strengthening the relationships and support networks needed for safe reunification.
The Hapori pilot represents an opportunity to examine how greater involvement from trusted community organisations can improve communication, support parents and ensure whānau perspectives are reflected in decision-making.
The details provided about Jackie’s case do not establish why the children were originally taken into care or the full reasons for the length of the proceedings.
However, her account demonstrates the emotional and practical challenges parents can face while working towards reunification.
A New Beginning After Eight Years
For Jackie, the focus is now firmly on the future.
After years of supervised visits, court processes and uncertainty, she can finally experience everyday family life with her daughter and son.
Her message to other parents navigating the care and protection system is to seek help, find people who will advocate for them and remember that they do not have to face the process alone.
For the Porirua Whānau Centre, the reunion is a reminder of the importance of sustained community support and ensuring families are heard throughout the care and protection process.
Eight years after her tamariki were taken into care, Jackie finally has her children home. Her journey is a powerful reminder of the importance of whānau connection, perseverance and having trusted people standing beside families when they need support most.
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