Paula Bennett
21 August, 2010
Focus on child abuse
Social Development Minister Paula Bennett delivered a speech to iwi leaders this week, calling for a co-operative effort to address child abuse.

"I have asked some of this country's eminent leaders within Maoridom to stand beside me and work with iwi to help prevent abuse," says Ms Bennett.

"Support from iwi leaders has been overwhelming and I have huge respect for the way they have accepted this challenge with such mana," says Ms Bennett.

Of 125,000 notifications to Child Youth and Family this year 55,000 required further action and 21,000 were substantiated as cases of abuse and neglect.

Maori children make up roughly half of the cases of abuse seen by CYF in a year.

"This is not just an issue for Maori, it's an issue for New Zealand when 21,000 children of all ethnicities are found to be abused in just one year," says Ms Bennett.

"Two weeks ago I announced the Home for Life initiative asking all New Zealanders to support these most vulnerable children."

"Now I am asking Maori to be part of the solution in identifying those children at risk within iwi, we must face this ugly side of ourselves," says Ms Bennett.

The National Government has led a number of initiatives already including:

• Home for Life
• The Never Shake a Baby campaign
• Better monitoring systems
• First Response Pilot
• Social Workers in Hospitals - expanded from 6 to 16 in the last budget
• Teen parents supported homes and help for teen dads

"It's time for the next phase of work to begin and I'll be making a number of announcements in the coming weeks - beginning with some specific iwi-based initiatives," says Ms Bennett.

The speech to iwi leaders will be released today.

The Child Youth and Family document Our Story outlining how the organisation is currently placed and where it may go in the future will also be released and can be found at: www.cyf.govt.nz

ENDS

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