Today’s damning report on Oranga Tamariki shows Māori children are being left with little chance of success, or even survival, after their experiences in the state care system, and Minister for Children Karen Chhour is making it worse.

“This report is the first of its kind and reveals a disturbing and urgent problem which can no longer be ignored by the Prime Minister who has overseen dangerous changes to Oranga Tamariki during his term in government,” Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said.

“The Government has cut early intervention, continued with botched bootcamps that have never worked, and taken away funding from community-run services that help children and whānau.

“Christopher Luxon has allowed an ACT Minister to recklessly erode the services that have been built up to support children.

“As well as repealing Section 7AA, Karen Chhour has removed a key target for placement of children with whanau, and removed the target for investment for services provided by Iwi organisations.

“The Government has taken away actions specifically put in place to address the significant disparities for Māori children in care.

“Christopher Luxon must step in and cancel boot camps and restore funding to frontline community providers before it’s too late,” Willow-Jean Prime said.

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