Addressing inequities within Aotearoa's child protection systems
Social Justice and Child Protection Aotearoa brings together people with a passion for justice, equity and rights in child protection.
By encouraging scholarly debate and providing the platform for building strong research teams, our aims are to:
- Contribute to better understanding of the inequities embedded in our systems
- Improve the lives of children and their whānau
About us | Mō te kaupapa
Social Justice and Child Protection Aotearoa membership includes researchers, academics, educators, policymakers, practitioners and people with lived experience of the child protection system.
Our research has a strong emphasis on collaborations across sectors and disciplines, and on social impact and advocacy.
Our network is hosted at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka – University of Otago and is run by four co-directors across three universities.
We welcome new members, and while our focus is Aotearoa New Zealand, we value interest from people from other countries.
Join us
Find out about events and contribute to important debates.
Email socialwork@otago.ac.nz
Creating responsive communities to ensure child protection
Our approach to addressing inequities considers factors including:
- Social and economic conditions
- The distribution of authority and resources under Te Tiriti o Waitangi
- The distribution, roles and responses of organisations
Child protection systems can both harm and help, and often reproduce social inequities. At the same time, children's exposure to harm creates a societal responsibility to respond meaningfully to ensure protection when needed.
Protection is best served via addressing the social conditions affecting parents, whānau and communities. Drawing on the diverse perspectives of key stakeholders, our aim is to contribute to more equitable systems and create communities that effectively respond to the needs of children, parents, families and whanau.
Our people | Mō mātou
Meet our Co-directors:
Associate Professor Emily Keddell
Social and Community Work
Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka – University of Otago
Kerri Cleaver
Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe Waitaha
Lecturer, Tauwhiro Hapori – Social Work
University of Canterbury
Dr Ian Hyslop
Senior Lecturer
Te Kura Akoranga me Te Tauwhiro Tangata –
Faculty of Education and Social Work
University of Auckland
Associate Professor Shayne Walker
Social and Community Work
Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka – University of Otago
Meet our advisory committee
Meet our Advisory Committee who guide our network.
Events | Nga hui
Email socialwork@otago.ac.nz for more about our network's events and opportunities.
Past topics
Abolitionist perspectives in child protection: Potentials and pitfalls (YouTube)
Dr Ian Hyslop, University of Auckland, with Associate Professor Emily Keddell, University of Otago, and Kerri Cleaver, University of Canterbury.
Decolonising Child Protection: Beyond the rhetoric (PDF)
Dr Ian Hyslop, University of Auckland
Decolonising Child Protection: Unbinding colonial impacts to create opportunities for flourishing (PDF)
Kerri Cleaver, University of Canterbury
Tamariki in the child protection system: How much do they really matter? (PDF)
Shannon Pakura, Oranga Tamariki