Minister Tolley’s CYF review misses the chronic, sustained underfunding of the system

The Public Service Association (PSA), the union for social workers, find the first part of the two part review of Child, Youth and Family (CYF) commissioned by Minister Anne Tolley to miss the crucial issue of the underfunding the sector has continually faced in the last seven years.

Richard Wagstaff, PSA national secretary, said "Social workers are highly skilled and dedicated workers who want what’s best for New Zealand’s most vulnerable kids, but they can’t do that job when they’re underfunded."

"The flaws in the bureaucratic system and continued underfunding creates problems for children and their families during what is already a difficult time in their lives.

"The government needs to support social workers so they can get on and do what they’re trained to do.

"Contracting out core services reduces accountability and adds more layers of bureaucracy, which will only cause more children to slip through the cracks.

"Any review of CYF needs to include the voices of social workers, who work with vulnerable children every day and know what they need," said Richard Wagstaff.

ENDS

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