CYF ignored worried calls

Child Youth And Family (CYF) ignored concerns about inappropriate internet use, drinking and gambling when it decided to leave children in the care of a man now alleged to have sexually abused them, National MP Paul Hutchison says.

In a report out today, CYF details how callers outlined concerns about the man's character and behaviour but a social worker found them unsubstantiated and allowed the three children to remain in his and his wife's care.

"It seems extraordinary that, given the accumulative evidence, intervention didn't take place earlier," Dr Hutchison said.

"I think they didn't do their investigation properly. Surely there's such an ultimate responsibility of placing young children that they have to be extremely careful."

The CYF report said three children were taken from their parents because of concerns about their care and safety and placed with the man, aged in his 40s, and his wife from Labour Weekend in October 2004.

Police and other checks were done and no problems found. While no sexual allegations were made at the time, a caller told CYF on October 29 that the man accessed unsuitable internet sites and expressed worry that the man hoped to gain financially from caring for the children.

On November 2, CYF got another call from a person who had spoken to the children's parents saying they were worried the man was a compulsive gambler with a drinking problem, that he and his wife were motivated by money and that the woman was incapable of looking after the children.

Two days later another call, from a person who had been contacted by a "respected member of the community", repeated the gambling and drinking claims, and added that the man had been violent towards his wife, and his relationship with foreign students in his home was "questionable".

A social worker looking into the claims decided they were unsubstantiated. Dr Hutchison wrote to CYF on behalf of the parents on November 29, saying they were concerned.

In January, CYF was again contacted by a caller saying the man had "the largest collection of porn in the district", had been seen yelling at the children and treated them as slaves.

In January, one child was removed after a meeting about the woman's ability to care for the children.

Police started looking into the January caller's claims, by which time two of the children had already been removed for unrelated reasons - the third was moved on March 18 when police said there was potential abuse.

The report said the man had been charged and while it did not state those charges, earlier reports are that he faces sexual abuse allegations.

In July, the Herald on Sunday reported that the man had confessed his abuse when approached.

"I've never done it before and I'll never do it again. I have made a mistake and I'll have to pay for it," he was quoted as saying.

Yesterday, CYF Minister Ruth Dyson said no concerns were raised before the children were placed. The department was auditing the caregiver assessment and review process and this case would be part of the audit due in early November.

- NZPA