Jacinda Ardern backs CYF review
Labour MP Jacinda Ardern has backed an overhaul of Child, Youth and Family in a speech to Blenheim community workers on Thursday.
The department was underresourced and staffing levels had not kept pace with rising numbers of child abuse and child neglect notifications, Ardern said.
‘‘There is no doubt that this is a department that is under pressure,’’ she said.
There were bad outcomes when a workforce was under pressure, she said.
‘‘We’re asking people to use their discretion about the future of a child’s care – that’s a big ask.
‘‘They need the appropriate support.’’
Child, Youth and Family received 146,657 notifications of
We’ve got to start looking at what the model looks like going forwards because we can’t afford to have communities that are deprived of GP services. Jacinda Arder Labour list MP
possible child abuse or neglect last year, a 20,000 increase on notifications compared to 2009.
In April, Social Development Minister Anne Tolley announced an overhaul of Child, Youth and Family.
She admitted the department charged with protecting New Zealand’s most vulnerable citizens needed to do better.
Ardern also responded to a query about diminishing numbers of GPs from audience member Deborah Errington.
Many newly trained doctors could not afford to buy into a general practice, Errington said.
Ardern said a possible solution was to have primary health care centres, where GPs were employed rather than part-owners of the practice.
The government needed to start planning for workforce shortages, Ardern said.
‘‘We’ve got to start looking at what the model looks like going forwards because we can’t afford to have communities that are deprived of GP services.’’
All Blenheim medical practices, except Springlands Health, closed their books to new patients between June and September this year because of capacity issues.
A Marlborough Primary Health Organisation waitlist of people looking to enrol with a GP reached 250 people at its peak.
Ardern also spoke to a business group at Watery Mouth Cafe before visiting the Marlborough Community Law Centre.
She later took a tour of the ASB Theatre site during her visit to Blenheim.
She also met with Marlborough Mayor Alistair Sowman at the Marlborough District Council, and visited Blenheim businesses Thomas’s Department Store and NZ Extracts.
Ardern visited Blenheim earlier in the year, when she spoke at a Realising Innovation Success and Enterprise (RISE) event at the Marlborough Vintners Hotel.