Together with our oversight of oranga tamariki system partners, the Children’s Commissioner and the Ombudsman, we welcomed the Government’s decision to accept all the recommendations made by Dame Karen Poutasi in her December 2022 report following the death of Malachi Subecz.
We will be seeking more details about the Government’s plan for implementation. We are pleased mandatory training for professionals working across the children’s system will be prioritised – and that this will be implemented before mandatory reporting is introduced. This staggered implementation will be essential to avoid any unintended consequences from mandatory reporting, including overwhelming a system that is already struggling to respond.
Poor information sharing is one of the issues continually raised in our monitoring visits and – as Dame Karen pointed out – gets in the way of keeping children safe. The decision to ask the Privacy Commissioner to assist in clarifying what information can be shared – and when – is a positive step. We hope it will give agencies greater confidence about sharing information and reduce confusion and inconsistent practice. We would like to see non-government organisations included in this process.
We also welcome any improvements in cross-agency collaboration.
Read Minister Upston’s media release https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/strengthened-system-protects-children-harm
Read the joint response from oversight agencies https://aroturuki.govt.nz/about-us/news-and-updates/media-release-oversight-agencies
Read our 2024 review on the implementation of Dame Karen’s recommendations https://aroturuki.govt.nz/reports/poutasi-review
