Not again! Another CYFS disaster
Today's news that the
Department of Child, Youth and Family Services did not run a
full police check on a gang member who with his teenage
foster placement raped a woman is yet another example of an
organisation in crisis, says Labour's social welfare
spokesperson Steve Maharey.
"CYFS has placed foster children in the care of gang members before. This one is now eligible for preventive detention. A placement like that is so far beyond the limits of acceptability that it shows CYFS is worse than desperate. It is obviously no longer capable of functioning properly.
"CYFS' action in this case is all the more staggering when it admits it knew the foster father is a gang member with criminal convictions. Its failure to run a full police check on a person like that is unbelievable.
"The need for renewed Government commitment to CYFS is urgent."
Today's case follows:
· news
earlier this week of a 10-year-old boy being deliberately
set on fire by a foster parent;
· news a month ago that a
14-year-old Christchurch girl was "wasted and out of it"
while in CYFS care, with free access to drugs, alcohol and
tobacco;
· the case of James Whakaruru, who died after
being left with a man who beat him;
· a 16-year-old
offender placed with Black Power affiliates with previous
convictions;
· two young brothers placed with extended
family in Coromandel that had gang connections and extensive
criminal convictions.
"Lack of Government support has allowed the system to decay to this point, where CYFS is desperately short of suitable placements for children needing care.
"Labour will make CYFS work again. We are
committed to ensuring the number of residential places
available meets demand. We will begin a professional
development programme for foster parents, develop best
practice guidelines for them, give them more support from
social workers and review the assistance available for
education costs. We will also have a nationwide strategy
designed to strengthen family relationships through
education and research on family
issues."