Kerre Woodham: All the reports, all the talk, all the money and nothing has changed

Not much of a feel-good Friday I'm afraid, given the report from Dame Karen Poutasi on the glaring errors and failings made by multiple Government agencies that resulted in the death of Malachi Subecz. 

Most of us I think have a dead child that's ours. The one whose story we remember. Whose name we will never forget. Mine is Delcelia Witika. 

She's would have been the same age as my daughter had she not died alone in her filthy cot in agony, from internal injuries inflicted upon her by her mother's boyfriend while her mother was out partying up.  

I have talked about this for more than 30 years. I gave up writing columns about child abuse for the Herald on Sunday because I just felt sick … nothing, nothing I was doing made a difference.

All it did was assuage my pain. Nothing I did was making any sort of difference. All the talking, all the hand wringing, all the tears and gorgeous wee kids are still dying. Brutal horrifying deaths literally at the hands of the people who are supposed to protect them.   

Ultimately, it is the families who are responsible for these children.

Don't try and palm it off onto an agency onto an underpaid, overworked caseworker. Your baby, your responsibility.

But there is something wrong when six agencies are involved and all of them fail. When multiple concerns are raised and nothing happens, other than the child dies, which is inevitable. People could see that it was going to happen and it did. But again, this has been happening time and time and time again.  

I don't know the answer, I don't know what to do because if I knew of a child being abused, I would step in. You and I are wired differently. We cannot understand how anyone can hurt a vulnerable, defenceless child

Our instincts are to protect that child at all costs. I can't even imagine the strength that would take to hurt a 5 year old when I look at the bruiser that's in our family. This robust, healthy, strong little guy who lives everyday as if it's a gift.  That's how all our children should be.  

I really didn't want to talk about this today because I have talked about it for years and nothing has changed.

Honestly, if you were a caseworker for Oranga Tamariki you would have to wonder why you get out of bed in the morning.

All the reports, all the talk, all the hand wringing, all the money donated for what? Nothing has changed. 

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