CYF Throwing Children To The Lions

Friday 18 Jul 2003 Dr Muriel Newman Press Releases -- Social Welfare

ACT New Zealand Social Welfare Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman today slammed the Department of Child, Youth and Family for placing an at-risk child in the lion's den, by housing a sexual abuse victim in a state home with sex offenders.

"An apparent lack of beds means that this young victim must share a home with alleged sex offenders. For a CYF manager to say that this situation is `not ideal' is an incredible understatement," Dr Newman said.

"Obviously, current CYF methods are not working, and the agency is taking its usual route - taking children into care, and then failing to adequately care for them. CYF is supposed to throw these young people a lifeline, not a noose.

"In light of CYF's atrocious record - which reads like a litany of tragedy - how can this boy's family, and the public, have faith in the agency's assurance that managers of the home would have `safety nets around the kids'? Children fall through the gaps in CYF's nets all the time.

"CYF must move this child immediately. A place must be found for him, away from the types of offenders that have made him a victim to begin with. If there is no place for him, perhaps he should be moved to Minister Tariana Turia's office, under Shannon Pakura's care," Dr Newman said.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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