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Accusations of Abuse in Institutions

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Stuff
April 5, 2004

Carer accused of abuse had no experience
NZPA

A man with no caregiving experience and his partner have been suspended from care duties after allegations the boys' home they ran in south Auckland subjected children to beatings, torture and verbal abuse.

Child, Youth and Family acting director operational support services Ken Rand said CYF had hired the couple to run the home. The woman was the primary caregiver and had previous experience while the man had none and worked outside the home.

"That's not unusual.

"My understanding is that he didn't (have experience) but she had been a carer, yes," he told National Radio today.

Proper checks had been carried out on the woman's background, he said. It was not clear if the man's background had been checked.

Mr Rand confirmed the couple had been removed from caring duties and were not working in another home.

Another four young people have complained of verbal and physical abuse by caregivers since allegations by Anton Harris, 15, made public last week that he was drop-kicked, tortured with pliers and thrown against the walls of the "family home" in Windrush Close, Mangere last year.

CYF has referred the matter to police after conducting an internal investigation.

Manukau police Senior Sergeant Steve Breach confirmed today police were investigating three allegations of assault at the home, including Anton's.

However, the two suspects had not yet been interviewed as the case was not regarded as an urgent priority once the boys had been removed from danger, he said.

"The main thing that we were concerned with was that there was going to be no further escalation of any assaults and by the time we received the complaints, which were. . . a little bit historic, all the boys had been removed from the home."

He said as a result of the publicity, police would now be fast-tracking the investigation and speaking to the alleged victims, suspects and witnesses.

"It wasn't one that we put all the troops on, we were nutting away at it bit by bit."

He did not yet know how long it would take.

Mr Rand disputed a claim by Anton's father, Grant Harris, that CYF had failed to acknowledge the allegations until he went public.

He said CYF had been in touch with Mr Harris previously.

"There seems to be a difference between the situation as Mr Harris has relayed it and the information that I have."

Mr Harris is meeting senior CYF management in Wellington today.

"We take every allegation of abuse extremely seriously," Mr Rand said.

Prospective carers go through rigorous police and reference checks "until we're satisfied that we have information that gives us as much assurance as we can have that these people are suitable for the job".

"The carers need to have the capability to be able to manage that."

Anton's complaint alleges he was subjected to four hours of physical assault and verbal abuse after ringing his CYF case manager to complain. Anton said his Otara-based case manager immediately told the caregivers and he was called a "nark".

"That night Anton was brutally dealt to," said his father, who wants the case manager fired.

Mr Rand said normally, if a young person complained to their social worker of abuse, CYF aimed to balance their safety with informing the carer of the allegations "as early as possible.

"It may be that the allegation is false.

He said the homes tried to create a "family-like" setting, with carers living with up to six young people.

The department refused to discuss details of its own investigation because it has referred the matter to police.

It expects police to interview all 50 adolescents who were placed at the home last year. Anton laid a complaint with police in December that a caregiver sat on his chest and pinched the skin on his arms with a pair of pliers.

He told police that boys were taken into a room and subjected to abuse almost every night.

He alleges they were hit with hard objects and thrown against the wall.