A unified way of bringing social services together to help children in need has launched in South Auckland.
It will be the country's largest so-called Children's Team, and it expects to work with hundreds of young people.
It's taken almost three years for a Children's Team to come to Counties Manukau - it's the country's 10th.
The teams find children who are at risk of being significantly harmed but who fall just below the threshold for statutory care.
In practice, it's supposed to bring a single way of dealing with multiple agencies.
Minister of Social Development Anne Tolley said sharing of information was essential to protect children.
A Children's Team will stop duplication between the services involved.
The Counties Manukau team expects to work with 1400 children in its first two years.
It's already had its first referrals.
