Summarised by Centrist
As a result of an inquest, Coroner Ian Telford has uncovered “pervasive deficits” in Oranga Tamariki’s social work before the death of 8-month-old Watene Kainga.
The baby died suddenly in December 2018 from SUDI (sudden unexpected death in infancy) while placed in an “unsafe sleep environment.”
Coroner Telford criticised Oranga Tamariki’s handling of reported concerns, saying, “This significantly and negatively impacted how Watene’s case was managed,” as only two of 14 flagged incidents were documented by the agency before his death.
The coroner’s report describes how Watene’s family faced numerous crises, involving agencies like Oranga Tamariki, police, and family violence services.
“If the relevant assessment and planning standards had been applied in Watene’s case, different plans and decisions would have been made,” Coroner Telford remarked, noting a lack of oversight across the child’s risk factors.
Oranga Tamariki’s Chief Social Worker, Nicolette Dickson, responded by acknowledging the agency’s failings, stating, “We did not do enough to act on concerns reported to us about Watene’s safety.”
Hoping to prevent similar tragedies, Telford urged all caregivers to follow safe sleeping practices. “For every sleep, babies up to one year should be put to sleep on their backs, in their own sleeping space,” he said.
