Abuse in care: Teenager of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Tahu-Ngāti Whaoa descent gives evidence

A teenager who was abused in state care is working to ensure it never happens to anyone else. Photo / NZME

Ihorangi Reweti-Peters has given evidence to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care in the hope that "no other rangatahi and tamariki endure the abuse" he did while under the care and protection of the state.

Ihorangi, of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Tahu-Ngāti Whaoa descent, was born and raised in Christchurch.

The 16-year-old underwent seven placements in six years and was moved into state care when he was 10.

"Being placed in multiple family homes and sent to live with foster caregivers has meant that my connection with my own family has weakened," he told the inquiry.

"I was separated from my brothers, and this has affected our bond. We don't talk to each other anymore."

Ihorangi said his feelings of anger, suicide and stress came from being abused while in the care of the state.

"Through it all, the support of my grandparents and VOYCE Whakarongo Mai, I have learned how to deal with these feelings.

"VOYCE Whakarongo Mai is an independent advocacy service for children in care that I have been engaging with for the last two years."

He reiterated his need to ensure other rangatahi and tamariki did not endure the abuse he did.

"There are two things that I am passionate about — making the current state care system better for all rangatahi and tamariki, and advocating for young people's mental health."

He said in May 2021, he was invited to speak at the Child Poverty Action Group Post Budget Breakfast about his experience and hopes and dreams for rangatahi and tamariki in state care, and where he wanted to see improvements.

"That's when I made two of my many calls to action to Oranga Tamariki and the Government."

Ihorangi's first call to action was to have mandatory counselling for rangatahi and tamariki in care.

"I have since amended my call to action to 'improving access for mental health and counselling and wellbeing support for rangatahi and tamariki', because I found out that counselling, at least, is already legislated for, it just isn't actually happening."

His second call to action was to ask the Government not to narrow the royal commission's scope by removing the requirement for the commission to look at modern day care policy settings, which the Government announced in April 2021.

"I wrote to Hon. Jan Tinetti, Minister for Internal Affairs and the Minister responsible for the Royal Commission, and emphasised that the commission's terms of reference needed to be changed back to allow young people to share their experiences."

The minister responded that the removal of modern day care policy settings from the commission's terms of reference meant that this was a matter for the commission, but she "would advise any rangatahi or tamariki who are currently in care and have experienced abuse to contact the police".

He also wrote to the Prime Minister, explaining the problem with going to the police and other available options.

He also said young people in the care of Oranga Tamariki didn't feel comfortable raising their concerns and sharing their experiences with Oranga Tamariki's 'Feedback and Complaints Line', because Oranga Tamariki staff were the people they had a problem with.

"Young people in care are scared to raise their concerns because they are worried that it may affect their current placement, put them in a bad position, or that they may experience further abuse and/or neglect."

In response the Government decided "to continue the discretion to allow the royal commission to consider issues...after 1999 for the purposes of making recommendations on redress, or to ensure that factors that allowed abuse to occur in care do not persist".

Ihorangi also helped to write a proposal document to Oranga Tamariki seeking a training workshop for suicide prevention.

"One of the recommendations is about improving the induction of social workers, staff and caregivers."

And he also met with the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission and the Office of the Children's Commissioner about the issues.

He said he also received support from local MPs to draft a Bill that made mental health and counselling support a statutory entitlement under the Oranga Tamariki Act for every young person in care, and sought a policy change in the national care standards to include reference to mental health.

"We are currently in the development and consultation process.

"Part of my mahi at VOYCE Whakarongo Mai is going to be facilitating some group discussion and gathering other young people's voices to add weight to the Bill."

Ihorangi won the 2021 Prime Minister's Oranga Tamariki Award for the category of Te Iho Pumanawa — Whakamana Tangata and the 2021 Young Change Maker Award at the Waitaha — Canterbury Youth Awards.

He told the inquiry about his future goals and aspirations which included becoming a politician and advocate for those in care, and building his knowledge of his whakapapa.

He sought an apology from Oranga Tamariki.