BEVS

Perhaps here is something we should all get behind if we care for this country and its people and children.

Shocking for NZ in this day & age. That this happens to kids and goes un-noticed and/or unreported.

Note , I am talking about New Zealand. The country I live in . I am not interesting in reading anyone fobbing off this issue by attempting to create a smokscreen using other countries as examples.

This is about New Zealand. What can be done. How about upping taxes to pay for better services. For better monitoring and education.

Faces of Innocents

MrsFychan

I must say the amount of "help the needy" groups in my area and beyond astounds me. people needing basic things like clothes and food.
I try my best, handing out clothes we no longer use/need and generally do what I can in other ways.
I also had cause to report a family to a childs teacher and then ultimately to CYFs but I do not believe anything got done as there was no specific thing apart from bad behaviour at times, sadness and attitude to other children. it was also an unease I felt when dealing with the child and the family and the lack of communication the child wanted me to have with the parents.
I know CYFs are stretched with lack of people and funding, had to attend a seminar on the signs of abuse and they took us through the protocols they have to adhere to before they can get involved and then the steps required before they can do anything that would really make any difference. all red tape and hands tied, ridiculous.
I also find it abhorrent that the police are suggesting that they pay for people to come forward about suspecting abuse, use the money to help these families through difficult times, far better use of public money

Pom_Chch

It is awful really isn't it. That we as human beings need an organisation to help protect us from harming kids, one of the most vulnerable populations. I despair at the human race sometimes! But at least there is some attempt to right it with the closing down of CYF and re-generating as a different body. Will it help? Don't know. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. Hopefully more money and resources being allocated will help, sometimes it's difficult to make change when money is an issue. Fingers crossed it all improves and it serves its purpose of protecting innocent children from nasty horrid people.

Faces of Innocents: CYF to be shut down and replaced by a new ministry | Stuff.co.nz

LoCarb

Not the NZ I once knew.

But lets all cheer, John Key's updated net worth is now 60 $million, so it obviously works for some people.

Incidentally, if you understand real government finances (not the neoliberal propaganda) money is not an issue.

Bo-Jangles

Its a pretty safe bet that the rebranding of CYFS will probably be as effective as reshuffling the deckchairs on the titanic; it's been restructured 'at least 14 times since its inception in 1992' and multiple reviews have highlighted their incomptence and ineffectiveness over the years. Every time there's a major incident in the headlines there's talk of systemic failings of CYFS, another public outcry, another anti violence campaign etc. We've had anti-smacking laws introduced and numerous lengthy and damning reports on the shortcomings of CYFS and promises to do better.

So what are they doing differently this time? Unless they have a new game plan, all I can see is more money wasted on changing the name and they'll be looking back again in another five years wondering why kids are still being killed.

Charismatic

Government departments are perpetually being restructured. Luckily this rarely actually has any impact on the service delivery at the coal face but keeps a large number of consultants and management employed.