Hon Roger McClay Commissioner for Children

"The Ministerial Review conducted by Judge Mick Brown concerning referral, notification and placement procedures by Child, Youth and Family Services is a timely sensible commonsense document," said Roger McClay, Commissioner for Children today.

The report was released today by the Minister of Social Services, Hon Steve Maharey.

"Judge Brown has addressed the two key issues which will make such a difference for New Zealand children:

1. Resourcing for the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services.

2. Performance issues.

It is very timely to have a Blue Print now about the whole area of care and protection. Never has there been a time when New Zealander’s have been asking more for our children to be respected, nurtured and cared for.

I particularly welcome the theme of recommendations concerned with staff training.

Our Social Workers have a huge task to perform on our behalf. They can only serve the need of our most troubled and needy children if they have the knowledge and training to do so.

My absolute hope is that decisions will now be made which demonstrate beyond doubt that our society has learned from the lives and deaths of children like James Whakaruru and the hundreds of others our society has lost forever.

Everyone will await this year’s budget to see whether the resources will be available to match the desires of our society for our children.

The publication of Judge Brown’s report presents a magnificent opportunity for New Zealand to do what the passing of the Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act, 1989 promised.

We owe our children nothing less."

Office of the Commissioner for Children Level 12, 86-90 Lambton Quay PO Box 5610 Lambton Quay WELLINGTON

phone: 4711 410 phone fax: 4711 418 fax

email: children@occ.org.nz email

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