Media Statement
For immediate release
Friday, 1 September 2005

Turner: Sack CYFS staff over child rape disgrace

CYFS staff involved in taking four months to tell a mother about claims that her seven-year-old daughter had been raped should be sacked immediately, United Future deputy leader Judy Turner said today.

“This was simply disgraceful. It is utterly unacceptable and those involved should be fired,” Mrs Turner said.

“It was not only inexcusable, it was manifestly stupid and cruel to both mother and daughter.

“It appears that the only reason that this woman found out about her daughter’s plight was because she actually rang a social worker to ask what is wrong with her daughter - this is CYFS out of control.”

The Hawke’s Bay mother, who had drug problems and did not have custody of her daughter, did not relinquish her rights to care for her child and to be informed of crucial matters surrounding her well-being.

“And CYFS clearly just doesn’t get that,” she said.

“We regularly have inquiries into CYFS’ stuff-ups but they don’t seem to make a lot of difference. Under any other regime or in any other work environment this level of job failure would result in instant dismissal. That should be the case here,” Mrs Turner said.

ENDS

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