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CYF criticised for 'dump and run' mentality

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Thu, 27 Aug 2015, 6:20PM

CYF criticised for 'dump and run' mentality

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Thu, 27 Aug 2015, 6:20PM

Child Youth and Family's mentality of 'dump and run' is being hailed as the biggest problem for children in state care.

Parliament's held an urgent debate about the agency today following scathing report on its care of children by the Office of the Children's Commissioner.

More: Report finds serious concerns with CYF's performance

Listen: Anne Tolley responds to CYF report

Listen: Jacinda Arden: CYF report

Labour's adamant just having good intentions doesn't go far enough for children placed in CYF care.

The party's Children's spokesperson Jacinda Ardern said there is too much focus put on getting kids out of immediate danger and not on what happens next. She is concerned CYF staff are too stretched.

"They have a massive case load coming in and that means that once the child for instance is placed in foster care or placed in a residence, there's not enough check ups making sure that young person is safe, secure and doing well."

But change and reform is being promised. Social Development Minister Anne Tolley said the most important work she can do as a Minister is change CYF's system.

"So that we can all be proud of a child protection system that indeed protects our most vulnerable children and gives them better lives when the state steps in and takes them from their family."

CYF deputy CEO Bernadine Mackenzie reports staff are dedicated, but embedding great practice consistently across the organisation is a challenge.

She said each branch has completed, or is working on, recommendations made in the report.

Ms Mackenzie reports major changes on the way will lead to a significant transformation in how CYF works to help our most vulnerable children.

Findings 'no surprise'

The contents of the CYF State of Care report comes as no surprise to the Salvation Army.

Major Sue Hay reports they see the failures every day.

"It's not a surprise for me on the ground working with families, but we need to pick it up now and turn this situation around."

Meanwhile the culture in the Canterbury branch of Child, Youth and Family is being labelled sick.

Former senior practitioner Yvonne MacLeod said there are institutions in Canterbury where abuse is happening right now.

"I've seen it for myself, I've tried really hard to do something about it, but I always fall on deaf ears. The so called advisors in head office in Canterbury, you never see them on the field."

UNICEF's Deborah Morris-Travers believes it's positive that CYF has strong initial assessment processes, designed to keep children safe, but its performance beyond that point is concerning.

She said the report points to a raft of opportunities to ensure that children coming into State care have their rights to health, education, protection and cultural identity upheld.

 

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