‘We can’t do it alone’
Our vulnerable children deserve better, writes Social Development Minister They deserve a care and protection system that works for them and communities that stand up to protect them and advocate for them.
Child abuse is completely abhorrent in any form. There is no excuse. Similarly, turning a blind eye is unacceptable.
We all have a part to play in delivering better lives for at-risk children. They are not ‘‘CYF kids’’. They belong to all of us, and they deserve the chance to thrive.
The government is leading the biggest ever overhaul of our care system. An expert advisory panel appointed by me last year found that the current model doesn’t work for the children and young people who need our support.
It also doesn’t work for the social workers and staff who are doing their best in a system that makes them spend over 50 per cent of their time on administration, rather than working directly with kids and families.
We are acting on the panel’s recommendations and by the end of March 2017, CYF as we know it will be gone.
It is being completely rebuilt from the ground up, and will put children at the centre of everything it does, by improving their long-term life outcomes.
The new operating model will no longer focus only on crisis management. It will have five core services – prevention, intensive intervention, care support, youth justice and transition support into adulthood.
There is a detailed, long-term plan that will make a real difference. It will take 4 to 5 years to implement. Gone are the days of knee-jerk reactions and quick fixes, which have made no real difference to the lives of these vulnerable young Kiwis.
As part of the major changes, we are also raising the age that young people leave our care, introducing an independent youth advocacy service, and supporting children and young people to have a say on decisions that affect them.
There will be better support for the families and households who put their hands up to care for these children, alongside a campaign to recruit more high-quality caregivers.
The new system will be able to directly purchase services such as trauma support when these vulnerable kids need it, rather than have them sit on a waiting list.
It will also need extra funding, and Budget 2016 invested $347 million in initial support to help with the transformation and to meet cost pressures.
While this transformation work is carried out, business continues as usual to ensure that the children and young people currently in our care receive the support they need.
All of this work is taking place against the backdrop of highprofile, heartbreaking abuse cases, and .
It is a stark and tragic reminder of what some despicable people are capable of. How anyone could harm a defenceless child is beyond me.
But the sad, sad truth is that this is an issue in our country. It needs to be talked about openly. And I sincerely hope that this coverage will lead to zero tolerance of any kind of child abuse in our communities.
Relatives, friends and neighbours must speak up if they suspect any child is being harmed. They need to call the authorities if they have any concerns.
It really could be the difference between life and death for a child.
Yes, the state can do better, which is why we are radically changing our care and protection system. We can’t do it alone though.
Our communities must also step up. We are all responsible for these vulnerable children.
Communities must ask themselves how they can get involved – and there is plenty of ways to do so. Some people will be ready and able to open their home to a child or young person who cannot live with their birth family.
That is a big ask and not everyone will be able to do so.
But there is plenty more we can do to show children what a loving home and community looks like. It might mean taking a child in care to a sporting event or on a fishing trip with your family.
Your Rotary or Lions Clubs might be able to work with a local Family Home to raise funds for a day trip, or for sporting equipment.
We can all make a difference.