Child abuse complaints wait months for action

By LIBBY MIDDLEBROOK and TONY WALL

More than 1300 reported cases of child abuse in Auckland and the Waikato are unable to be fully investigated because of staff shortages in the Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFS).

A total of 780 cases in Auckland and 550 in Hamilton have not been allocated to an individual social worker.

Children's Commissioner Roger McClay has called for an urgent investigation because vulnerable children, such as Tangaroa Matiu, could "slip through the cracks" without a case manager.

Despite a complaint of child abuse in December relating to 3-year-old Tangaroa, the department never assigned a social worker to the case or successfully contacted his caregivers. He was subsequently beaten to death by his stepfather.

"Those figures tell me that we have a major, major problem to be sorted out quite quickly," said Mr McClay.

"I may as well shut up about people reporting child abuse. If they [CYFS] can't investigate it properly, we are wasting our time."

Mr McClay will meet Social Services Minister Steve Maharey today to raise the issue of unallocated CYFS abuse complaints.

The manager of CYFS Auckland north, John Hault, confirmed yesterday that there were around 550 unallocated cases across Grey Lynn, Royal Oak, Takapuna and Waitakere offices. Across Mangere, Papakura, Otara and Mangere offices there were about 230 unallocated cases.

Mr Hault said the majority were not considered urgent or critical and the department "generally" made inquiries to ensure that children's lives were not at immediate risk.

In some instances, cases were not assigned to an individual social worker for 10 months after a complaint; however, several people could work on a case.

"Just because they're unallocated doesn't mean no work is being done."

"But the issue of allocation is a concern - sometimes reports of abuse turn out to be more serious than we initially think."

Mr Hault said limited staff, operational issues and inter-agency communications were responsible for the department's failure to allocate all abuse complaints to social workers.

Moyna Fletcher, a member of Hamilton CYFS watchdog group Care and Protection, said the department was too busy handling critical cases to investigate every complaint of abuse.

The department was not meeting requirements to tackle urgent cases within seven days or low-urgency cases within 28 days.

While CYFS Auckland south is reviewing its handling of abuse complaints, ACC is investigating new ways of reporting possible child abuse cases to CYFS.

ACC has passed CYFS a list of 236 children who have been the subject of claims for treatment for more than 10 accidental injuries in the past five years. Options include ACC notifying CYFS if more than 10 claims are made before a child is 5.

Newstalk ZB is expected to announce today that it will donate a large amount of free airtime to the Safe and Sound Appeal against child abuse.

Donations to the appeal can be sent to PO Box 91939, Auckland Mail Centre, or phone 0800 946 010.