A disproportionate number of children in state care face harm when returned home.

Oranga Tamariki's annual report shows an overall increase in abuse or neglect in state care, with 530 children experiencing harm in the year ending March.

That's 23 up on the previous year.

Independent children's monitor, Arran Jones, says about half of children return in an unplanned way.

"You've got voices of parents there saying - I just wasn't ready for my young person to come home, I've got drug and alcohol issues, I've got mental health issues I haven't been able to address, I'm not ready to have them home."

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