Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says by the end of March next year Child Youth and Family will be gone.
The National Party gathered in Hamilton today for Social Development Minister Anne Tolley's announcement.
“The way that CYFS currently works now, their way of operating is gone. And by the end of March next year, Child Youth and Family as an organisation will be finished.”
Tolley announced a number of new initiatives for better child care.
“The new Model will focus on five core services - Prevention, Intensive Intervention, Care Support, Youth Justice and Transition Support. So instead of responding to a crisis, the agency or the new structure will take a life-long view.”
New Zealand's first ever Independent Youth Advocacy Service will be launched, effective from the end of March next year.
Tolley says, “The move comes in response to a report saying the current system is failing children and young people of the state.”
The first time mandatory national care standards will be introduced, so that there is a clear expectation of standard and quality of care in placement homes.
The majority of children known to CYFs are Māori. The Minister says it latest plan will address this over-representation.
“We have to partner with Iwi, with our Whānau Ora procurement agents, purchasing agents, with Māori academics, and with Māori whānau. And we need to develop and test new initiatives to find new ways to work together to get better outcomes for their tamariki and whanau,” says Tolley.
The government expects the changes to be implemented within five years.