Dob in abusers and save young lives, says CYPS

By ALISON HORWOOD

Child, Youth and Family Services says suspected child-abusers should be dobbed in immediately before any more lives are lost.

CYFS chief social worker Shannon Pakura said the agency should be contacted immediately if it is believed a child is at risk.

Families should not try to deal with the suspected abuse themselves.

Her advice follows the physical and sexual abuse of Masterton toddler Lillybing - Hinewaoriki Karaitiana-Matiaha - and an admission by two of her aunts that they were involved.

In the High Court at Wellington on Friday, Rachaelle Namana pleaded guilty to one charge of manslaughter, two of wilful ill-treatment and two of failing to provide the necessaries of life.

Her sister, Rongomai Paewai, pleaded guilty to two charges of wilful ill-treatment and two of failing to provide the necessaries of life.

It was revealed at a preliminary court hearing that Lillybing's family knew about the abuse in the months leading up to her death last July, but wanted to deal with it themselves.

But Shannon Pakura said the overriding issue in such situations should be the safety of the child.

She said anyone who believes abuse is taking place can make a confidential phone call on the free phone number 0508 FAMILY (326-459).

The national call centre can give advice and put callers in touch with other agencies such as Maori providers, church groups and support networks.

Although people might fear the child could be removed from the family or that charges could follow, the welfare of the child should be paramount.

"We would rather people rang us, we investigated and it turned out to be nothing," she said. "At the end of the day all we want is for the child to be safe."

Caroline Fox, the Wairarapa kuia and child welfare worker who organised a family meeting after Namana told her she was beating Lillybing, told the Herald last night the community had become vigilant about looking for signs of child abuse.

Workers at Wairarapa kohanga reo were watching the children carefully, she said.

"Lillybing's death shook everyone up. Everyone thought it could have been them. And we are all being very alert about keeping an eye out for any more abuse."

Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, chief executive of the national collective of independent women's refuges, says it often takes real courage for someone to speak out against a family member they suspect of abusing a child.



"But don't think of the shame of getting a Pakeha or Pakeha organisation involved," she says.

"There is no shame in saying 'We have a major problem and we need some help.' The shame is doing nothing and letting a child die."

Families did not have the skills to deal with abuse themselves.

"What these families often mean when they say they will deal with it themselves is that they end up doing absolutely nothing.

"It's not nice, it takes courage to speak out against the whanau. People don't want rifts, don't want others in trouble. But people need to speak out to protect their own mokopuna."