Stand Tu Maia services under threat
UPDATE - Temporary funding measure has been agreed to
Stand Tū Māia charitable trust says it has reached a resolution with Oranga Tamariki that provides a four-month lifeline for its critical service. The resolution means the parties will not go to Court to hear the Stand Tū Māia application for an injunction against Oranga Tamariki for alleged breach of contract.
Stand Tū Māia and Oranga Tamariki have agreed an end date for current contractual arrangements at 22 April 2024. The parties will meet early next year to discuss potential future Oranga Tamariki procurement and contracting processes.
Chief Executive Dr Fiona Inkpen says the resolution provides some immediate certainty for the high-risk children and families supported by Stand Tū Māia, but there is still uncertainty about the long-term future.
“The agreement gives us time to have a further conversation with the Government to determine if there is a desire to retain the service and what will happen to support these vulnerable children and their families in the future.
“We want to thank Andrew Bridgman, Acting CE of Oranga Tamariki for playing a key role in making this resolution happen.
READ THE FULL MEDIA RELEASE HERE
This will allow our service to remain open until April of 2025.
We will continue to need the support of our community and whanau to build a consistent future after that - so please, #StandForStand and make your voices heard.
What’s Happening?
Oranga Tamariki, the funder of our main contract, has advised that they are terminating our contract for budgetary reasons as of 4th January, 2025.
Stand Tū Māia is taking Oranga Tamariki to Court for breaching a three-year integrated contract, worth $21 million a year (excluding pay equity).
Chief Executive Dr Fiona Inkpen said the Trust had been forced to bring court action to hold the Ministry to its contractual obligations and prevent the Ministry from acting as though the contract has been cancelled.
“We strongly believe Oranga Tamariki has committed an egregious breach of good faith in attempting to terminate our integrated contract at short notice, threatening our ability to provide specialist services to thousands of vulnerable children and their families”
READ THE MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE PSA
READ THE MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE NZ PRINCIPALS’ FEDERATION
What will the potential Impact be?
If we cannot resolve this dispute with Oranga Tamariki, we will need to look at the viability of our service.
This would mean the end of a service, with 100 years of history, that provides specialised trauma treatment for approximately 4000 tamariki and families per year.
Dr Inkpen comments “We are an essential frontline service for children who have already been failed by every other part of the system. We are effectively the ‘last resort’ for the most vulnerable children in our society and we are deeply concerned about how Oranga Tamariki plans to care for these children and their families. We have heard nothing to date.”
What are the government saying?
Oranga Tamariki’s suggested decision is contrary to repeated assurances that frontline services would be maintained.
What can the community do to help?
The success of Stand Tū Māia is built on the relationships we develop with tamariki mokopuna and whanau. Healthy relationships are built on reciprocity, and the actions of one of our Stand Tū Māia Mum’s demonstrates the strength of relationships we form with our Whānau. She has created a petition, and has been joined by other Stand Tū Māia Whānau, who stand shoulder to shoulder with us to support the work we do.
Please consider signing it: Stand Tu Maia is potentially loosing all its funding from Oranga TamarikiEmail, call or write to the Prime Minister, Karen Chhour (as minister for Children) and your local MP. Contact details may be found here
Tell your friends and whanau - this service matters. You can share from our Facebook page
Use the hashtag #standforstand
