Foster Home Not Tinny House

A careful Child, Youth and Family investigation has found nothing to substantiate a claim that a foster home in the Wellington suburb of Linden was being used as a drug dealing base. A man claimed last week that the home where his children were placed was a “tinnie house”.

The department will this Wednesday discuss with police a request for money from the man who made the allegation to The Evening Post. On Thursday 21 June, the man asked a Child, Youth and Family staff member for money, saying he would go to the media with a complaint about his daughters being at the house unless it was paid. The Evening Post contacted the department after the staff member turned down the man’s request for money.

Porirua police have confirmed the caregivers at the foster home are not known to them as drug dealers, drug users or as being associated with the Mongrel Mob. Police do not intend to pursue the man’s allegations.

The caregivers say a man, who later said he was the father of two of their foster children, turned up at their house on Wednesday 20 June asking for “tinnies”. He was told he had the wrong house and was asked to leave. The caregivers say there was no-one wearing Mongrel Mob regalia in the house at the time, as has been alleged.

The investigation has confirmed the department’s faith in the caregivers who have been placed under unnecessary stress by the accusations. Child, Youth and Family had to take the allegations seriously and respond appropriately because of its duty to ensure children in its care are looked after properly.

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