Judith Collins MP
National Party Welfare Spokeswoman

01 April 2005

Minister should detail latest CYF failure

National Party Welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins is calling on the Minister in charge of CYF to explain the latest runaway incident in Dunedin, after a case two years ago where a pair of CYF runaways suffered datura poisoning.

“Clearly, CYF has failed again. The public expect the state will provide proper care and attention to these vulnerable youths. Unfortunately, as is too often the case these days, the state has let them down again.”

Ms Collins is commenting on reports that three of the five youths involved in a serious drink driving incident, that left one girl hospitalised in Dunedin, had sneaked out of a CYF foster home.

In the case two years ago, Labour ordered an immediate review, which was expected to finish 4 weeks later.

“Clearly there are still problems.

“With recent figures showing the number of children being placed in CYF care is increasing, Ruth Dyson needs to reassure the public that these children are being placed in a safe and secure environment.”

According to Dunedin police the badly injured girl was lucky to have survived.

“If this had turned into a fatality the Minister would presumably be asking all sorts of questions. I hope she will now provide the public with an account of what happened and where CYF failed.

“The public need to be reassured that when our at-risk youth are placed in CYF care, they won’t end up in hospital or worse,” says Ms Collins.

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