If you, or someone you know, have had an experience of abuse in care, Te Piki Oranga can now offer one-on-one support for people sharing their experiences with the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.
Te Piki Oranga has put in place qualified and trained community champions who can help you through the often difficult journey of sharing your experiences and telling your story.
Rameka Te Rahui is one of the Te Piki Oranga community champions who can answer your call for support, while you go through the Inquiry process.
“We’re here to help anyone through that process – deciding whether and how to take part, navigating the process and getting the follow-up care you need.
“We understand that anyone telling their story is going to go through many emotions. Talking about it can bring up a lot of grief, anger, and fear. Sometimes the hardest thing is making the first move and picking up the phone.
“We can talk with you before you make that first call to the Inquiry, sit with you while you do it, or talk with you afterwards if you need that support, so you are not left hanging there alone.”
Rameka says that sometimes this can be the start for people seeking help and treatment.
“If you’ve been living with this for a long time, sharing your story with the Commission could be the start of a healing journey for you and your whānau. There is free counselling available, and for many people, this has made it possible for them to get treatment for ongoing trauma as a result of their experiences.”
If you have an experience you want to share, the best way to get started is to call us on 0800 ORANGA (672 642), and ask to speak to one of our community champions for the Royal Commission of Inquiry. We’ll then facilitate getting you the support you need.
The Inquiry is in the process of gathering information from survivors of abuse, so it can look into what happened to children, young people and vulnerable adults in care.
The Commission wants to hear from everyone who has been affected, including:
· Those who have been directly harmed
· Those indirectly impacted by the abuse
· Witnesses to abuse
· Those advocating on behalf of another person including your own tamariki, rangatahi and tīpuna.
If the person who was abused has died, you can even share on their behalf, in memoriam.
Once the investigations are complete, the Inquiry will report to the Governor-General and make recommendations about how New Zealand can better care for its young people.
