April 08, 2016
CYF shake up visionary says Children’s Commissioner
Children’s Commissioner Dr Russell Wills has described proposed changes to the child protection and care system as visionary.
The Government has announced it will immediately implement many of the 81 recommendations of a review led by Dame Paula Rebstock within a year, and take action on the rest over the next five years.
Dr Wills says from his office’s monitoring Child, Youth and Family he knows the organisation does not consistently put children at the centre, and that needs to change.
He says reducing the over-representation of Maori children is a vital part of the proposed reforms, which will require real commitment and resources to build cultural capability across the whole system.
He also endorsed lifting the age young people can be in state care to 18 years, and in some cases to 25 years, and says the age for youth justice should also be raised to 18.
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