Hon Anne Tolley

Minister for Social Development

12 May 2016

New appointments to Vulnerable Children’s Board

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley has announced four new independent appointments to the Vulnerable Children’s Board to help support the overhaul of New Zealand’s care and protection system.

The new members are Dame Paula Rebstock, who will chair the reconfigured Board, Peter Douglas, Dame Diane Robertson and Geoff Dangerfield. They join the current members, who are the chief executives of MSD, Health, Education, Police, Corrections, TPK and Justice.

“These appointments are designed to extend and diversify the skills and expertise of the Vulnerable Children’s Board as we transform the care and protection system for at-risk children and young people,” says Mrs Tolley.

“The Board is responsible for cross-agency governance and oversight as we build a new system which focuses on the protection and long-term life outcomes for our vulnerable young people.

“Dame Paula Rebstock chaired the expert panel which developed the business case underpinning the radical overhaul of the system, and Peter Douglas also played an important part in this work. I’m delighted that they will continue to be involved. We are also very fortunate to have the wide-ranging experience of Dame Diane Robertson and Geoff Dangerfield.”

The independent members have a mix of skills and knowledge of:

• Governance experience

• Investment, purchasing and service delivery

• The use of data, evidence and analytics

• The NGO sector

• Complex system management and transformation

“These skills will be vital as we build a new care and protection system based on prevention, intensive intervention, care support services, transition support and youth justice,” says Mrs Tolley.

“We will use a social investment approach to identify the best way of targeting early interventions, and develop direct purchasing for some important services, to give these children the best possible chance of living a happy and successful life.”

The terms of reference for the Board are available at:http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/work-programmes/investing-in-children/index.html#RevisedVulnerableChildrenrsquosBoardTermsofReference4

ENDS

© Scoop Media