Survivors call out postcode-based case manager access, saying Work and Income is keeping them trapped

For survivors of state abuse, accessing support is hard enough. But for many, simply requesting a consistent Work and Income case manager —someone who knows their history, understands their needs, and won’t require them to relive their trauma every time they ask for help has become yet another gate kept by policy, postcode, or luck.

Across the country, NZCAST has heard from survivors who’ve requested a dedicated case manager, only to be told no sometimes without explanation, other times because of “resourcing” or “local discretion.” In other cities, the same request is granted, with positive outcomes. The result is a system where support depends on where you live, not what you need.

“Some survivors are allowed a stable contact person. Others are told they can’t. There’s no policy. No consistency. No trauma-informed process,” says Karl Tauri, spokesperson for NZCAST.
“You’re left having to repeat your story over and over again — often to complete strangers who don’t understand what state abuse even means.”

Case managers aren’t a luxury they’re survival

The impact is not just emotional. The lack of consistent case management blocks people from moving forward with their lives.

Many survivors want to start part-time work, begin volunteering, or re-enter the community in ways that are sustainable and healing. But without a case manager who knows their history, they often encounter confusing, contradictory advice, get shifted between services, or lose income support when trying to step into independence.

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“We have survivors who want to give back, who are trying to do the right thing, These are people that society sees as dole bludgers, criminals, low lifes” says Tauri.
“But the system punishes them for it. It’s easier to stay dependent than try and fight for flexible, survivor-aware support. And that’s backwards.”

It’s more than paperwork — it’s traumatization

Each time a survivor has to re-explain their trauma to a new worker, the harm is compounded. For many, just stepping into a Work and Income office brings back memories of the institutions that first failed them.

“We’re not talking about something abstract. We’re talking about people who were raped, beaten, and institutionalised by the state who are now expected to re-justify why they need a food grant or therapy access every time a new case officer is rotated in,” says Tauri.

A call for trauma-informed consistency

NZCAST is calling on Work and Income and the wider Ministry of Social Development to:

Create a national, trauma-informed policy that guarantees survivors can request a dedicated case manager

Ensure survivors can access volunteering or work-readiness support without fear of being penalised

Build consistency across all regions, so support isn’t based on postcode luck

“We’re trying to rebuild lives. The system should be helping us do that, not making us feel like a burden for trying.”
 

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