Community Safety And The Protecting Our ... - Auckland Council

FOREWORD FROM THE CHAIRS OF SAFE WAITAKERE INJURYPREVENTION AND THE WAITAKERE SAFER COMMUNITY COUNCIL TRUST“tiakina, a tatou tamariki mokopuna,ko ratou te iwi apopo”collectively, protect and educate our children andgrandchildren for they will be our leaders tomorrow.At the 2001 census there were 14,139 children in Waitakere aged under 5 years. Keeping themsafe from harm and giving them every chance to reach their full potential is our collectiveresponsibility.Though the initial focus of the Protecting our Tamariki project has been on preventing physicalviolence against children in the home in Waitakere City, it has developed into something muchmore. Our chosen emphasis on primary violence prevention has allowed us to look at thewellbeing of our youngest children more broadly.Reducing violence against under 5s isn’t enough, we actually need to stop it from happening inthe first place. That means we need to do much more to get things right in the early years. Weneed to concentrate our effort and resources on supporting families with young children –helping to get the basics right. It’s about good health, good education and accessible,affordable and appropriate social supports and services. It’s about sustaining and celebratingchildren, caregivers and whanau. It’s about promoting and growing caring and supportivecommunities. If we get it right, we stand a good chance of preventing violence and injury, if wedon’t …we will continue to stay in “fix up” mode forever.The Protecting our Tamariki Action Plan was started by Safe Waitakere but is now owned by amuch larger range of community and government organisations in Waitakere. The plan thatfollows, points to roles and tasks (both ongoing and new!) for many different agencies.Protecting our Tamariki is now seen an integral part of the wider Waitakere WellbeingCollaboration Process. What we’re trying to do is new and it’s exciting. We are committed tomaking it work and to giving our children the best start possible.Penny HulseChairpersonWAITAKERE SAFER COMMUNITY COUNCIL TRUSTCarolynne StoneChairpersonSAFE WAITAKERE INJURY PREVENTIONAugust 2003WellbeingCollaboration Project