Police are investigating alleged sexual behaviour between Oranga Tamariki staff and young people, with two staff members stood down.
Oranga Tamariki chief executive Chappie Te Kani said over the past week he had been informed of two serious allegations involving staff acting inappropriately towards young people in residences.
“This alleged behaviour is unacceptable and there is no place for it in our organisation or in our communities.
"I have taken immediate action to remove the two staff members from our residences.
“Police were brought in immediately and have active investigations that will be ongoing. My priority is the safety and well-being of the young people involved in these allegations.”
Te Kani said Oranga Tamariki was also carrying out an investigation.
“It’s an absolute breach of trust. I am incredibly upset about this happening inside Oranga Tamariki.”
Te Kani was limited on the details he could give around the alleged offending, given the active investigations under way.
The alleged offending happened in separate youth justice and care protection facilities.
Te Kani said he was not prepared to wait for the outcome of any investigation.
While these are currently individual and isolated incidents, one is one too many, he said.
”I am not prepared to compromise on the welfare of our tamariki. Children and young people in our care must be cared for. Young people in our facilities must be safe."
Former Police Commissioner Mike Bush has been brought in to Oranga Tamariki to run all Youth Justice and Care and Protection residences and to lead a rapid review across all residences, including Oranga Tamariki community-based homes.
From Friday, Bush will take on the leadership of all Youth Justice and Care and Protection residences.
Te Kani said the young people affected have been contacted and social workers will continue to work alongside them and their whanau.
“All of the young people have got all of the support they need around them.”
At this stage about five young people are affected, The New Zealand Herald reported today.
Bush will be assisted by Shannon Pakura, former Chief Social Worker, and a member of the Government Ministerial Advisory Board to the Minister for Children.
The review will be completed within two months and the findings made public.
Bush’s investigation will start on Friday, with the priority to ensure that all the tamariki, all the young people in the residence, kaimahi, all of the staff are safe - and that the community is safe.
He planned to first do an in-depth and independent review to understand if there were further or underlying issues and this would focus on whether the facilities are safe and fit for purpose.
Bush said he will speak to those young people affected, all staff, stakeholders, partners, and iwi.
Te Kani said he has confidence in his senior leadership team "but having Mr Bush here with his experience and independent view coming into Oranga Tamariki at this time is really important”.
Te Kani wouldn’t answer a question about whether the two staff members stood down had been vetted by police, saying that would be part of the investigation.
“The actions of these two members who are no longer part of the organisation has really impacted on the mahi that we do.”
