12 Sep 2009

CYF defends placement of abused child

1:40 pm on 12 September 2009

Child, Youth and Family is defending its role in placing a young child, who had been abused, with a caregiver who is now also charged with assault.

The child's abuser has been found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to injure, and failing to provide the necessaries of life.

The new caregiver appeared briefly in court on Friday facing 23 charges, including assaulting the child with a belt and shoes and kicking the child's sibling, whom she was also looking after.

After lengthy legal arguments, the judge has refused name suppression for the caregiver, but her lawyer is appealing against the ruling.

Child, Youth and Family is defending its role, saying its staff discovered the severely beaten child was being further abused and reported the case to police.

It says it is confident staff did the right thing, but says that unfortunately a person everyone believed would keep the children safe is now facing abuse charges.

The children are now with other caregivers.