June 20, 2016
Child-centric care still lacking
The outgoing Commissioner for Children says it's important for the focus to remain on the needs of children during the reshaping of Child Youth and Family.
The service is being split off as a separate agency after a highly critical report.
Dr Russell Wills has released his own monitoring report, and says there is huge variability in the quality of frontline care.
He says the young people say they want people to listen to them, explain things properly, and treat them with respect.
"When social workers really understand and value their culture, take the time to pronounce their name properly and know their whakapapa and where there marae is and present that really positively, that makes a huge difference. It means they can engage with their social worker and they can start the process of healing and recovery from their abuse," Dr Wills says.
He says 60,000 children will come to the attention of authorities this year and about 5000 will be in care, 60 percent of them Maori.
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