CYF backlog jumps 76pc

Child, Youth and Family says it has been hit by another surge in reports of possible child abuse and neglect.

Acting chief executive Brenda Pilott told a parliamentary select committee yesterday that the number of unallocated cases had risen to 3132 in the past four months.

National MP Katherine Rich said that in June, the number of cases waiting to be assigned to a social worker was 1780.

The new tally represented a 76 per cent increase.

More than two years ago, CYF accepted a recommendation that it should reduce the number of unallocated cases to zero within six months.

Ms Pilott said the department had not abandoned the target, but there was no date yet to achieve it.

Ms Rich said she was alarmed at the rapid rise in unallocated cases.

It appeared that despite all the reports, money and assistance, CYF had given no indication how it could fix problems.

"It is worse than I thought. These numbers all represent children who are not being treated well by the service," Ms Rich said.

"The department has little idea whether any one of those children is a tragedy waiting to happen."

The latest problem for the department follows a damning review by the Treasury, CYF, the State Services Commission and the Social Development Ministry.

The report, released last week, found the department was grossly underfunded and struggled to manage complex services.

The Government has been pouring money into CYF but admits that will not solve all the problems.

Officials told MPs at the select committee that a national campaign to recruit social workers would begin this weekend.

If necessary, CYF would look for staff overseas.

Ms Pilott told the committee that the rise in notifications was a worldwide trend.

In this country there tended to be a surge after high-profile abuse or neglect cases.

CYF Minister Ruth Dyson told MPs that there was no point in finding someone to blame for the department's woes.

She believed CYF could be turned around, but only if all of the recommendations in the report were implemented.

Ms Dyson said there had been no pressure from any ministers for CYF chief executive Jackie Pivac to resign.

Ms Pivac, who handed in her notice this week, has also seen a report by Commissioner for Children Cindy Kiro into the deaths of Saliel Aplin and Olympia Jetson.

The half-sisters were murdered by their stepfather, Bruce Howse, at their Masterton home in December 2001. Howse is serving a minimum 25-year prison sentence.

The report, to be released next week, is said to be critical of CYF's care of the children.

Ms Pivac is on two weeks' leave.

Ms Dyson said she did not know how long Ms Pivac would return to work for or when a new chief executive might start. That area was not her responsibility.

CYF's backlog

* Cases with no social worker: 3132.

* Same number in June: 1780.

Two years ago CYF hoped to have no backlog within six months.

- NZPA