Dear Child Youth and Family,

Definition of HFL/Permancy and its comparison to whangai placements.

1. Are children considered placed with caregivers under sections 78/101, under the care of children act, considered being whangai into the family of the caregivers. Regardless if they are genetic family or not?
2. Where paternity is unknown, is a child born to a European mother and that child is born with brown eyes and hair considered then of Maori decent? Thus must be treated as such under whanau ora?
3. Caregivers who have had guardianship removed or who have given up the care of the child have their rights protected in regards to access etc under the whangai guidelines that the child be forever considered part of the caregiver's family?

Yours faithfully,

Leah Trass
PR PANIC