Labour Party MP Jacinda Ardern is calling for a baseline review of Child, Youth and Family, saying the welfare agency is failing to meet expected response times to child abuse and neglect.
Jacinda Ardern. Photo: LABOUR PARTY
On Wednesday, Ms Ardern questioned Social Development Minister Paula Bennett in Parliament, based on information presented by Child, Youth and Family to a select committee.
The MP said notifications have risen by 50% since June 2012 and the agency is struggling to cope. She asked Mrs Bennett why it took so long for it to respond to a case deemed critical - when the child is in danger of death or harm.
Ms Ardern told the House it took Child, Youth and Family five days to allocate a social worker, when that should happen within 24 hours.
The Government said it has increased resourcing for the agency and the select committee information does not necessarily show when an actual intervention is made.
Child, Youth and Family defended its response times to notifications on Wednesday, saying they are better than they have ever been.
The agency said regarding the example Ms Ardern cited in the House, safety had been had been assessed within the 24-hour timeframe, but the case was not allocated until the next working day after a public holiday.
CYF general manager of operations Paula Attrill said that 98.7% of critical notifications are attended to within 24 hours and response times have been improved despite notifications more than doubling in the past six years to about 153,000.
