cyf_handsUpdate – the deadline for submissions has now been extended to 3rd March 2017

The legislation that will implement the Government’s planned changes to Child, Youth and Family work is now in Parliament and open for submissions from the public. NZCCSS will be commenting and analysing the Bill based on what we have learned and shared already through our networks.

The new law is a further part of what this Government calls the modernisation of Child Youth and Family (see our analysis of the 2015 report on CYF reform). The Bill is the second of two pieces of legislation on this issue in 2016. The first Bill was passed into law in early December and you can read the NZCCSS submission on this from July 2016 on our website under Publications. Key issues that have been identified in our networks include concerns that the proposed new approach will not help Tamariki Māori and huge concerns about how MSD plans to approach sharing of individual client data.

The Government says that the aims of the Bill are to create “a more child-centred approach” for the new Ministry of Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki. It aims to help government to respond more flexibly to reports of concern and enable early intervention. It will bring in national care standards and a better approach to financial support for caregivers of children in state care. The also includes 17-year-olds in the youth justice jurisdiction and offers greater support for young people leaving state care. The Bill also includes the aim to recognise “mana tamaiti (tamariki), whakapapa, and whanaungatanga for Māori children”.

Take Action – Make a Submission

Submissions are open on the Bill until Friday 3rd March 2017. Go to the Parliament website to find out more about the Bill and how to make a submission. and there is more information about the Bill and links to supporting documents and reports on the Parliament web page for this Bill.