It has been nearly a year since new Oranga Tamariki law was put in place.

This law means CYFS must:
1. put in policies to reduce disparity between Maori and non-Maori
2. develop policies and practices that enhance mana tamaiti, whakapapa, whanaungatanga, whānau, hapū, and iwi.

CYFS must work with iwi and hapu to exchange information and develop partnerships. I am aware of a handful of these partnerships.

In my experience, social workers and professionals struggle to understand what mana tamaiti means. They dont understand it nor do they implement it

We've had a year of 'same old same old' on the ground without any meaningful change to social work practice, plans for care and protection, plans to include whanau, hapu and iwi. I regularly ask Oranga Tamariki were hapu and iwi invited to this FGC and am met with a puzzled look.

It is easy to give grand Maori titles to govt reports & organisations, to open buildings with a whakatau, to start your speech with a mihi.

It is much harder (& much more important) to develop and implement practises that give effect to tikanga & the treaty partnership.