$8m paid to abuse victims in state care

‘These claims of abuse raise serious concerns about care provided to children in a wide range of social welfare, health, education and churchrun homes.’

MORE than $8 million has been paid out to people who say they were abused while in state care.

According to data released under the Official Information Act by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), that figure is likely to increase as only about a third of current claims have been settled.

Between January 2004 and December 2014, MSD received 1682 historic claims of abuse, of which 569 have been dealt with.

While $8,201,184 has been paid out, this does not include contributions MSD have made to cover claimants’ legal costs.

Wendy Venter, MSD’s

deputy chief executive of organisational integrity, said the agency set up a historic claims team in 2006 which investigated the abuse.

She said the claims dealt with by the unit involved a wide range of allegations from people who had been in state care over a 70-year period. The majority of complaints lodged related to the period between 1960s and 1980s.

‘‘These claims of abuse raise serious concerns about care provided to children in a wide range of social welfare, health, education and church-run homes as well as foster care and family homes.’’

Taranaki Prisoners Aid and Rehabilitation field worker Vonny Roche said she had worked with several former prisoners who had lived in state care during their childhood. One client told how he was removed from his family at the age of 6 and sent to a boys’ home in Christchurch. ‘‘It was pretty heart breaking.’’ As a result, he joined a gang at 13, went on to seriously offend and ended up in jail, she said.

Tu Tama Wahine o Taranaki chief executive Ngaropi Cameron said abuse victims were affected in different ways.

The claimants who had come forward with their stories were extremely brave. ‘‘They are heroic survivors,’’ she said.