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February 03, 2023 at 2:41 PM

Stuff: Unequal destruction: The crisis continues for Auckland's most vulnerable whānau

Auckland’s floods have had very different consequences, upending the lives of many of the city’s most vulnerable families while life continues as normal in many wealthy neighbourhoods. Glenn McConnell reports.

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RNZ: Reported assaults on children by Oranga Tamariki staff up 250 percent in 2 years

Physical assaults on children by Oranga Tamariki (OT) staff detected by its Safety of Children in Care unit have jumped by 250 percent in two years.

OT's latest safety in care report shows 49 findings of physical harm by staff in 2022, up from 27 the year before and just 14 in 2020.

The agency said the rise was primarily due to an investigation at Christchurch's Te Oranga care and protection home in mid-2021, triggered by media reports a boy was held in a headlock there.

"There was a considerable increase in findings of harm, predominantly physical harm, for children and young people in residential placements," the report said.

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RNZ: Oranga Tamariki not meeting minimal standards for children in care – report

Oranga Tamariki is still not meeting the minimal standards for children in care, a new report shows.

The data from the 2021/2022 Independent Children's Monitor shows there is yet to be any significant improvement in outcomes for tamariki in state care.

The report's executive director Arran Jones said the report was a chance for the agency to show it had made improvements.

"While it has made progress on its work programme, we are yet to see meaningful improvements in its data, or in the experiences of tamariki and others we heard from," Jones said.

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RNZ: Oranga Tamariki insists progress being made to meet minimum standards despite new report

Oranga Tamariki is defending its care of children despite a new report showing it is failing to reach some minimum standards.

The latest Independent Children's Monitor report shows that in two years the Ministry has made barely any improvements.

Orangai Tamariki has custody of more than 6000 children and is supposed to meet minimum standards of care that came into force in 2019.

The Independent Children's Monitor is the watch dog and executive director Arran Jones said the report covering the last two years is a chance to see if the quality of care has improved since its first check in 2020.

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NZ Herald: Baby’s death in Auckland: Mother pleads not guilty to murder of infant boy who suffered brain injury

A young mother has pleaded not guilty to the murder of her 4-week-old son, who died at Starship Hospital one year earlier after suffering a serious brain injury.

Defence lawyer Ian Brookie asked that interim name suppression continue for the 22-year-old defendant, who appeared in person today in the High Court at Auckland for the first time.

Justice Sally Fitzgerald approved the request. The child’s name also remains suppressed, but media can now report that the two are related.

The boy died on January 16, 2022, at which point medical staff alerted police. The woman was arrested on Jan 11, 2023.

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NZ Herald: Rosehill attempted murder case: Man appears in court accused of cutting daughter’s neck

A 54-year-old South Auckland resident accused of attacking his daughter with a knife, causing serious neck injuries, has pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping and attempted murder.

The defendant, who continues to have name suppression, stood in the dock before Justice Sally Fitzgerald during his first appearance in the High Court at Auckland.

Defence lawyer Jo Murdoch entered the pleas on his behalf.

The Rosehill resident was arrested December 4, after emergency services were called to a residence at around 3.40 that morning and found a child with “a serious wound to their neck”, police said at the time.

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