The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
Published 30 August 2024
We are deeply sorry.
To every survivor, you matter, and you have made a difference. We respect you and your courage. You have been heard.
Presbyterian Support East Coast (PSEC) acknowledges the final report findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry of abuse and neglect of children, young people and adults in the care of the State and faith-based institutions in Aotearoa New Zealand between 1950 and 1999.
We failed as a nation by allowing people to be abused, neglected and mistreated. The report findings are not, and will never be acceptable, wherever abuse happens.
In a message to survivors, PSEC CEO Sanja Majstorović says, “PSEC deeply regrets and apologises for the abuse which took place. We recognise the harm and suffering this has caused you. We strongly condemn all forms of abuse and strongly affirm our determination to ensure the safety of all people who we support now and in the future.”
We will build trust in humanity again through our commitment to provide quality safe social services to people who need our support most right now. We promise wholeheartedly to be responsive and take on board the Inquiry’s holistic redress recommendations. We commit to carefully implementing these recommendations to make sure this does not happen again.
We share the survivors’ moemoeā (dreams) for the next generations, where every child, young person and adult in Aotearoa New Zealand is loved, safe and cared for in a manner that supports their growth and development to reach their potential. Survivors’ moemoeā are the foundation for the Inquiry’s vision for the future – he Māra Tipu (a growing garden) and are at the heart of the Inquiry’s recommendations which we commit to adopting.
We encourage anyone that has experienced abuse, neglect, or mistreatment to make contact with The Royal Commission of Inquiry on phone 0800 222 727 or email contact@abuseincare.org.nz
If you have got any enquiries about the Hillsbrook Children’s Home, please contact PSEC CEO Sanja Majstorović via email sanja.majstorovic@psec.org.nz or phone 06 877 8193.
Presbyterian Support New Zealand has made its own apology and response to the recommendations of Whanaketia. You can view them on the PSNZ website.
Published 18 November 2024
Presbyterian Support East Coast acknowledge the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) – Abuse in Care “Whanaketia – Through pain and trauma, from darkness to light”.
We are fully committed to embracing the recommendations to ensure that vulnerable people in our care receive the service they need.
We have carefully assessed each recommendation and provided responses to the best of our knowledge at the time of the release of this statement. We will remain engaged and continue to review our policies as we learn more details about regulatory settings in the future.
Our responses are outlined in three documents:
a. Recommendations relevant to Faith -based entities
b. Recommendations relevant to Government, Legal and other entities
c. Recommendations relevant Establishment of a new Puretumu Toorowhanui Scheme
