7. JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) Link to this
to the Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF)
What policy advice has she received from the Ministry of Social Development to address the significant increase in child abuse notifications, that has more than doubled from 26,588 to 66,210 in the last 7 years?
Hon RUTH DYSON (Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF)) Link to this
I have received a number of reports on the increase in notifications and also how to manage this demand. A significant point is the growing recognition and growing intolerance in our wider community, particularly backed by action from the police, of the damage to children who are in violent family situations. It is worth emphasising that the goal of better managing this demand is not simply to reduce it. When people have concerns about the safety of a child or young person, Child, Youth and Family should be informed. The key is to make sure that families and children get the most appropriate response given their circumstances.
Can the House take it from the Minister’s answer that she thinks it is a good thing that we had 66,000 notifications of child abuse last year as opposed to 26,000 notifications of suspected child abuse 7 years ago, and if it is a good thing, is it going to be an even better thing if we have more notifications of child abuse—say, 70,000—this coming year?
The ideal would be that New Zealand had zero notifications because we had zero acts of abuse against children. That is not the situation. In my view it is far better for us to have situations of potential abuse or actual abuse notified rather than being ignored. It is highly unlikely that more than about 5 percent of the increased notifications is due to increased incidence.
Shane JonesWhile the total notifications received has doubled, Child, Youth and Family has worked extremely hard to reduce the number of unallocated cases—from 3,000 in October 2004 to 435 in October 2006. I think all members will appreciate that this is a significant achievement.
Does she agree with Helen Clark who, when notifications of child abuse numbered 13,500 in 1994, said that it was “a national shame”, and if she does agree with that statement when notifications numbered 13,500, what is her view of the record 66,000 notifications of child abuse under her watch in her Government?
If 13,500 notifications of suspected child abuse are a national shame, what words would she use to describe the fivefold increase to 66,000-plus a year that we are getting under her watch?
I have never seen child abuse statistics as a competition. In my view, it is far better for us to act together to deal with the problem that we clearly have in our country.
Why have substantiated child abuse cases more than doubled from 6,000 when this Government came into office 7 years ago to now over 13,000?
As I indicated in my answer to the primary question, a large drive for the increase in notifications has seen a decrease in tolerance in our community, particularly backed up by action by the police where children are in situations of family violence. It is important to note, however, that although there has been a significant increase in the number of notifications, there has not been a proportionate increase in findings of abuse over that same period.
Why is she continuing to quibble about figures and spin slogans—saying that substantiated child abuse is less when it is actually more—when we have some children in this country who are hungry, who live a life of utter misery, and who live with violent adults in their homes while she is just sitting there saying that the bigger the figures the better the problem?