The road to hell : state violence against children in postwar New Zealand / Elizabeth Stanley.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- Childhood stories -- Rise of the state -- Removal and the road to hell -- Institutional cultures -- Daily life -- Violent victimisation -- Trouble and survival -- Controls and punishments -- Escalating problems -- Emotional fallout and repair -- Dealing with the past -- What next? -- Appendix 1. Data on contributors -- Appendix 2. Primary methods -- Appendix 3. The institutions -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index.

"This book tells the story of 105 New Zealanders who experienced this mass institutionalisation. Informed by thousands of pages of Child Welfare accounts, letters, health reports, legal statements as well as interviews, Stanley tells the children's story: growing up in homes characterised by violence and neglect; removal into the State's 'care' network; daily life in the institutions; violence and punishment; and the legacy of this treatment for victims today. The state masqueraded as a good parent, but its violence and negligence made things worse for children. This book is a moving account of the experiences of those placed into state care, and a powerful call for redress and change"--Publisher information.