Judge scathing of (CYF) ministry
Judge scathing of ministry’s handling of whāngai adoption case
Radio NZ News 6 April 2018
Family First Comment: Radio NZ are treating this like its the first time. Sorry – since the smacking law, it’s been a regular feature!
“A Family Court judge says it is inexcusable that Oranga Tamariki, the Ministry for Children, insists on calling a mother a child abuser when the court had found she wasn’t. “If a court duly constituted by law makes a positive finding that there has been no abuse, then it is inexcusable for the executive arm of government to think it knows better than the rule of law and to ignore findings made by the court.”
www.protectgoodparents.nz
A Family Court judge says it is inexcusable that Oranga Tamariki, the Ministry for Children, insists on calling a mother a child abuser when the court had found she wasn’t.
The criticisms were made in a decision from Judge Stephen Coyle in the Family Court in Whakatāne, relating to a battle between a child’s birth parents and whāngai adoptive parents.
Judge Coyle also criticised Oranga Tamariki for removing the child from her home, contrary to a court order indicating that was almost enough for him to refer the agency for prosecution.
When the child was born in 2010 its birth parents had agreed to whāngai her to her paternal aunt and her partner who were unable to have children.
However, some time later the birth mother changed her mind and wanted the child back.
Eventually she began making allegations of physical and sexual abuse against the whāngai mother, which led to several notifications being made to Oranga Tamariki.
READ MORE: https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/354260/judge-scathing-of-ministry-s-handling-of-whangai-adoption-case
