Like many New Zealanders, the Government is deeply concerned that too many of our children are seriously abused and neglected.
In instances where there has been extreme abuse, information has been spread across a range of people, but no one has put all the pieces together.
One of National’s key priorities this term is to deliver better public services.
This includes bringing together key agencies and departments to effectively support vulnerable children.
The ‘White Paper for Vulnerable Children,’ alongside the ‘Children’s Action Plan,’ outlines a range of initiatives on how we may better identify, support and protect children who are most at risk.
It is based on consultation with key experts in health, justice, education and social services, international best practice to keep children safe from harm, and over 10,000 submissions received from New Zealanders, including more than 2000 submissions from children.
The White Paper presents a new way of working with our most vulnerable children.
New statute
As part of the White Paper, new legislation will make departments and agencies accountable and get them working together to achieve results for vulnerable children.
A new ‘Child Protect Line’ will be the first point of contact to ensure the right response to cases of abuse and to be confident that we are putting a new ‘Vulnerable Kids Information System’ in place.
‘ViKi’ will hold information on children at a central location for easy access by professionals.
We have also been working with the University of Auckland to build a ‘Risk Predictor Tool’ to help professionals identify children at maximum risk.
We are unashamedly targeting about 30,000 most vulnerable children.
Throughout November, I visited various communities across New Zealand including Motueka, Mapua, Blenheim, Kaikoura, Timaru, Feilding and Marton as a ‘White Paper Champion’ to outline our ‘Children’s Action Plan,’ which is designed to identify, support and protect our vulnerable children.
The White Paper forms the basis for the most significant improvement in child protection this country has seen.
It will serve not only this generation of New Zealand children, but also their children and their grandchildren.
Dr Cam Calder is Member of Parliament (Manurewa) on National List.
