There are concerns that universities are still churning out social workers who don't have the skills to work well with Māori.
It comes as report by the Children's Commissioner reveals harrowing stories of Māori mothers experiences with social workers in the state care system.
Oranga Tamariki says their social workers work hard and are trained to understand colonisation and their Treaty of Waitangi responsibilities.
But a lecturer in social work at Massey University Dr Paule' Ruwhiu told our Māori news correspondent Leigh-Marama McLachlan that social work degrees lack cultural training.
