Social workers failed to investigate abuse of Tangaroa

By LIBBY MIDDLEBROOK

Social workers failed to properly follow up an abuse complaint weeks before 3-year-old Tangaroa Matiu was beaten to death.

Despite a tip-off in December last year relating to the abuse of Tangaroa and his brother Kyden Matiu, Child, Youth and Family case workers never made contact with them, their mother or stepfather.

Tangaroa died after being beaten with a toilet brush and a fence paling by stepfather Genesis James Mahanga on January 12.

Commissioner for Children Roger McClay said two case workers visited the Matiu home in Massey about two days after the December complaint by a family member, but no one was home.

It appeared no one at Child, Youth and Family had been assigned the case after the tip-off.

"This is very concerning," said Mr McClay. "People can slip through the cracks and perhaps this child did.

"There is a lot of unallocated cases and that means vulnerable children are even more vulnerable. The department's taken this pretty seriously, with some very senior people looking into it."

Mr McClay said he would soon release a report on the department's treatment of the Matiu case.

Mahanga, aged 32, has been found guilty of murder and Tangaroa's mother, Hoana Matiu, 29, has been convicted of manslaughter and causing unnecessary suffering.

"At a time where we are trying to encourage reports of abuse, the worrying thing is the perception that no one cares,"said Mr McClay. "That's a problem for Child, Youth and Family."

Kaitaia resident Vanessa Matiu, who is looking after Tangaroa's three siblings including Kyden, said the department could have prevented Tangaroa's death.

"They should have been at the house every day until they got to talk to someone," said Ms Matiu, Hoana Matiu's 26-year-old sister.

Since Tangaroa's death, said Ms Matiu, the organisation had failed to provide promised counselling to the three traumatised children.

She said John, 12, Julie-Ann, 11, and Kyden, 9, had clearly suffered emotional and physical abuse.

"They called twice, once promising to come and see us, but never followed up. The kids haven't had a chance to deal with this. I'm just so disgusted with the way they've dealt with this case."

She said Kyden, whose blood was found splattered on the walls of his home along with Tangaroa's, sometimes spoke of the abuse, "freaking me out" with the memories.

It had taken the agency six weeks to provide financial assistance when Kyden joined the family in March from Child, Youth and Family care. "They've given us excuses like they've been too busy."

Ms Matiu said some support could have been provided to her and partner Dean, as it had not been easy taking on three more children.

The Waitakere office of Child, Youth and Family declined to comment on the abuse complaint or support issues.

The Matius' church and the local iwi in Kaitaia are now assisting with counselling.

"We've just given up on that organisation [Child, Youth and Family] and are trying to do things ourselves,"said Ms Matiu. "These are just normal kids trying to cope with this tragic thing."

A Child, Youth and Family supervisor, John McLean, confirmed that the Kaitaia office had not contacted Ms Matiu since the file had been transferred to it from Waitakere in July.

"If she's not calling us, we're assuming that things are okay.

"We have an open line of communication. If the sister is concerned about anything, she knows she can contact us."

Following Herald inquiries, Mr McLean promised the office would contact the family "pretty smartly."