How Could You? Hall of Shame-New Zealand-Porirua Foster Parents

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Porirua, New Zealand, foster parents of a group home are no longer caregivers due to an incident with a 13-year-old foster son.

 

“Police are investigating allegations a Child, Youth and Family  caregiver fondled a 13-year-old boy’s leg at the dinner table, then  punched him in the face when he got angry about it. ”

“[T]he boy’s father, of Wainuiomata, is angry with the alleged indecent and physical assault, and now wants to “hold CYF accountable for putting my son in harm’s way”.

A second incidence with different foster parents in Porirua has been revealed: another set of foster parents gave a different 13-year-old boy a swastika tattoo!

“It comes after a 13-year-old Wellington boy was given a swastika tattoo while also in a CYF group home in Porirua in January. Muna Sajady is pursuing legal action against the agency over its treatment of her son, Michael.

The boy, who says he was punched, recalled being in several of the same group homes as Michael, but CYF denies the alleged assault and tattoo happened in the same home.

“I’m wondering how many other kids have been too scared or ashamed to speak up,” the boy’s father said.

His son was getting into trouble with police for shoplifting, vandalism, and running away to wander the streets at night.

He was too young to be charged, but was put into a group home after he claimed his father hit him.

But the boy – who is now 14 – was returned to his father’s care soon after the incident in the group home.

He was a troubled, sometimes angry boy, so it was no surprise he reacted when he felt victimised by the caregiver, his father said.

“He was fondling my son’s leg at tea time and my son became enraged. This would be one of the things that would cause him to respond in such a way.”

His son may have argued, but the caregiver “turned around and punched him in the face”, he said.

He claimed another boy in care videoed the incident and posted it on Facebook, but it had since been deleted.

“There are witnesses to this assault. There is bruises and photos of those bruises.”

He got the feeling CYF was “dragging their feet on this”.

CYF central regional director John Langley said the department investigated the incident and caregivers at the Porirua home alongside police.

Two caregivers in the home were immediately stood down, removed from the group home and were no longer employed by CYF.

“When we became aware of this incident we immediately notified police and removed the young person from the home. His safety was our main concern.

“We take allegations about our caregivers seriously and follow a clear procedure.”

The boy had been “doing well” since being returned to his father’s care, he said.”

Wellington district child protection constable Lucie Joines said inquiries were being made into the allegations, and a man may face assault charges.

“There was definitely an altercation between the two, verbal and physical, between the caregiver and the child. It’s definitely being investigated and he is not at any risk from that particular caregiver any more,” she said.

However, the inquiry had become harder as the couple had left Wellington for the central North Island, and police were still trying to get statements from witnesses.

The boy’s father said a doctor also diagnosed his son as malnourished when he was returned to his care, and put him straight on antibiotics for another illness. His personal belongings he had at the home had not yet been returned.

According to information obtained from CYF through the Official Information Act, 23 children were abused while in care last year, and another 30 in 2010/2011. It kept no records of children abused in care before that.”

CYF caregiver accused of attack on boy

[Stuff 4/15/13 by Jody O’Callaghan]

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