White Paper nz govt (Current 2013)
Most parents put their children first, second and third in their order of priorities. They invest all they have in their health, education, and wellbeing, and in their hopes and dreams. They nurture, support and encourage, in good times and through bad. And when they struggle, they will go without to ensure their children have a better start and more opportunities than they did. Most of all, they want their children to be happy and fulfilled.
It is the job of communities and government to support families in what they do best, by providing quality co-ordinated universal and specialist services and resources, supportive policy, programmes and law, but otherwise meddle as little as possible.
But that isn’t the reality for every child.
Too many children live a life far below the norm, most of them let down by the very people, often the only people, who they should be able to trust and rely on to love and protect them.
Here is the sad reality:
Between seven and 10 children, on average, are killed each year by someone who is supposed to be caring for them. And in 2010, 209 children under 15 required hospital treatment for assault related injuries.
In the 12 months to 30 June 2012, 152,800 care and protection notifications were made to Child, Youth and Family.
After investigation, Child, Youth and Family found:
4,766 cases of neglect
3,249 cases of physical abuse
1,396 cases of sexual abuse
12,114 cases of what social workers term ‘emotional abuse’, often children who have witnessed family violence.
As at 30 June 2012, there were 3,884 New Zealand children in out-of-home state care.*
But, recent advances in research and technology mean we can now start to get ahead of the problem, identifying and helping some 20,000 – 30,000 vulnerable children and families, in many cases before the greatest harm occurs.
It is the job of communities and government to support families in what they do best, by providing quality co-ordinated universal and specialist services and resources, supportive policy, programmes and law, but otherwise meddle as little as possible.
But that isn’t the reality for every child.
Too many children live a life far below the norm, most of them let down by the very people, often the only people, who they should be able to trust and rely on to love and protect them.
Here is the sad reality:
Between seven and 10 children, on average, are killed each year by someone who is supposed to be caring for them. And in 2010, 209 children under 15 required hospital treatment for assault related injuries.
In the 12 months to 30 June 2012, 152,800 care and protection notifications were made to Child, Youth and Family.
After investigation, Child, Youth and Family found:
4,766 cases of neglect
3,249 cases of physical abuse
1,396 cases of sexual abuse
12,114 cases of what social workers term ‘emotional abuse’, often children who have witnessed family violence.
As at 30 June 2012, there were 3,884 New Zealand children in out-of-home state care.*
But, recent advances in research and technology mean we can now start to get ahead of the problem, identifying and helping some 20,000 – 30,000 vulnerable children and families, in many cases before the greatest harm occurs.