Dame Paula Rebstock has called on the New Zealand community to take vulnerable young children "into their hearts and homes" as she seeks to apply an investment approach at one of the country's most controversial agencies.

From the flag debate to the outrage surrounding the TPPA, this year the government was at the centre of the country's three biggest PR challenges.

When Daryl Brougham was 11, his social worker said: "Daryl, the way you're going, you're going to end up in jail."

Child Youth and Family could not find anywhere for teen to go after her arrest.

Rather than placing children in foster care the state should be helping to strengthen their family unit.

The disabled boy social workers said was being used by his alcoholic mother and her boyfriend has lost access to a vehicle specially modified to meet his needs.

It is a grim glimpse of the front line of social work - an 1100-page dossier of abuse and misery cataloguing the life of Benjamin*.

Severely disabled child used by his alcoholic mother and her boyfriend to access up to $80,000 in benefits.

After a string of restructures of Child Youth and Family, Minister of Social Development Anne Tolley says she will fully implement the recommendations of an expert panel looking into children in state care.

The idea of Serco being responsible for a pipeline guiding children through their lives from cradle to grave - from CYF to prison - sounds like something from a dystopian novel, writes Richard Wagstaff.

The Green Party has won an apology from the Social Development Minister after it was confirmed Serco staff members had visited Child, Youth and Family sites.

A review panel is scathing of CYF's performance, saying the system is focused on immediate risks and containing costs at the expense of tackling harm.

Every person in the country aged up to 17 has been screened for factors that could later see their life take a turn for the worse - and cost taxpayers.

We must create strategies to address negative ethnic stereotypes which result in too many tamariki put into care, writes Anton Blank.

"These kids just need a chance, it's really hard at 17, they are too old to be in the system but too young to have rights."

Fixing child abuse and neglect is all about building relationships with families in need, social workers say.

Fixing child abuse and neglect is all about building relationships with families in need, social workers say.

The shortcomings at Child, Youth and Family reflect an agency that hasn't coped with a significant switch in societal attitudes to child abuse.

A damning report on Child, Youth and Family says 117 New Zealand children were abused in care last year - and some have had up to 60 placements.

A staffer working for Child, Youth and Family started a sexual relationship with a boy in the teen unit where she worked.

A former CYF social worker has admitted in court to shortcomings from her and the department resulted in a "vulnerable" teenager being returned to the home where he claims he was physically abused.

A Gisborne teenager told police he had been abused for years by his CYF-appointed caregiver, who was so cruel she knocked out his teeth with a knife-sharpening steel.

Frustrated foster parents have to get permission every time their foster child needs major medical treatment, changes schools or the family move.

A mathematical model designed to predict children at risk of abuse will be trialled with data about children reported to Child, Youth and Family.

As a young boy, Daryl Brougham thought his name was Daryl Foster. He lived in at least 24 foster homes until the age of 18.

More than 860 victims who were abused while in state care have been given the option of a fast-track settlement.

The deaths of vulnerable people who are in state care or custody could have less independent scrutiny if proposed law changes go ahead.

A Northland teacher convicted of sexually abusing two girls and physically abusing six children placed in his care by Child Youth and Family has had an appeal against his conviction dismissed.