This Supplementary Order Paper amends clause 8 in the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families (Oranga Tamariki) Legislation Bill. We propose shifting the focus, from supporting a child’s connection to whānau, hapū, and iwi, to maintaining a child’s connection to whānau, hapū, and iwi. While a “safe, stable, and loving home” from the earliest opportunity is important, it should not be at the expense of maintaining and strengthening the relationship between children and young persons who come to the attention of the department and their family, whānau, hapū, iwi, family group, and siblings.

We remain concerned that the onus in the new system will be on establishing permanent placement, undertaken within a prescribed timeline to ensure efficiencies, rather than taking active steps to ensure the child can return to their whānau, where appropriate, and maintain their whakapapa links.