12. ANNE TOLLEY (National—East Coast) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
Does she have confidence in Child, Youth and Family; if not, why not?
Hon DARREN HUGHES (Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
Yes, because it delivers its difficult role of both care and protection and youth justice matters in a hard-working and conscientious manner.
How can the Minister have confidence in Child, Youth and Family when in my East Coast electorate, in the backblocks of Wairoa, a family with 13 children is living in the bush with no access to clean water or toilet facilities, and it has taken Child, Youth and Family 2 months to formally respond to my notification?
Hon DARREN HUGHES Link to this
On the face of it, from what the member has told the House, that does not sound good enough, at all. Child, Youth and Family works hard to provide the best and safest outcome for children and young people, not only in her constituency but across the country, and that is the expectation that the Government has of it. Obviously, we do not discuss individual cases on the floor of the House, but if the member would like to refer the case to the Minister, I know she would be only too happy to look into it personally.
Jill PettisWhat reports has the Minister seen regarding policies to improve the youth justice and child protection services delivered through Child, Youth and Family?
Hon DARREN HUGHES Link to this
In January we saw an announcement made with great fanfare that there was a commitment to support improvements to a Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Amendment Bill. The person called the Government’s bill long-overdue legislation and said that he considered it a “matter of priority” to pass it. However, when the bill was before Parliament, strangely, he voted against it. That is yet another case of John Key telling the public what he thinks they want to hear, and then, when he thinks no one is paying any attention, doing the exact opposite.
Does the Minister consider this situation of a family with 13 children, ranging in age from 1 to 16, living in a temporary camp for months on a site with no toilet, no running water, and little adult supervision, and cooking over an open fire, to be neglect; if it is not neglect, then what is?
Hon DARREN HUGHES Link to this
As I said before, on the face of what the member is telling the House, that situation does not sound very acceptable in terms of the care and well-being of those children. If the member has concerns about how the case has been handled, the Minister would be very happy to look into it. Raising it in this manner across the floor of the House is probably the least effective option for her constituents.
How long will Child, Youth and Family stand back and say, as it has said to me in writing, that “This is not a core business area for CYF.”, when these children have been known to Child, Youth and Family since mid - last year, their living circumstances have been known to the Child, Youth and Family office in Wairoa since August last year—
Hon Pete Hodgson—yes, I have written to the Minister—and now it is April and nothing has changed in these children’s lives? They still have no roof, no running water, no toilet, no stability, no school, and inadequate parental supervision. Just how long do these 13 children have to live like this before Child, Youth and Family will consider that their case is its business?
Hon DARREN HUGHES Link to this
As the member was asking the question, a number of members who are also constituency MPs were asking whether the member has approached housing authorities, as well. What we need to do is get all the facts and look at all the information. If the member wants us to help her constituents, we should get stuck into the detail of the case. I can only go on what she is telling me right now, because that information was not in the primary question. If she approaches the Minister, we will look into this matter, to make sure that the right help is being given to this family, because that is what Child, Youth and Family and this Government is committed to doing for children and young people in New Zealand.
How can the Minister justify Child, Youth and Family’s inaction in this case, when it has known about this family for over 6 months? All those departments have been involved, and have known about the family’s living conditions. If Child, Youth and Family will not act, who else can these children rely on to ensure that their basic needs are met?
Hon DARREN HUGHES Link to this
Child, Youth and Family’s job is to keep children safe, and I repeat the offer to the member that if she would like to approach the Hon Ruth Dyson, she will be very happy to look into it for her.