The new Vulnerable Children's Ministry wants to recruit 1000 more foster parents in a dramatic bid to improve the quality of state care for children.

Young people in state care will soon have a right to stay in or return to care until they turn 21.

Government denies that new rules requiring community agencies to share basic client data with the Government for funding amount to "surveillance".

Women's refuges, church agencies and other community groups will soon have to hand over their client details to the Government in

Budgeting agencies are "in shock" after a radical shakeup which has ended state funding for a third of all previously funded budget

COMMENT: Recent cases indicate violence between and against children is widely accepted.

A youth was shot directly outside her gate, but Housing New Zealand would not find her and her three young children a new home.

Teens were unlawfully detained for weeks on end in the seclusion wing of a youth justice facility run by Child Youth and Family, according to its own senior staff.

Minister Anne Tolley says the UN Rights of the Child committee in Geneva asked her 250 questions but only one on child poverty.

COMMENT: The rewrite of the Social Security Act is a good time to abolish the sanctions altogether.

Housing NZ has bought a motel to help meet the area's housing shortage - but the existing residents will have to move out to make room for the homeless.

A brief liaison with a man she didn't know cost a young Auckland woman $28 a week off her benefit for two years.

The Ministry of Social Development may have to pay millions to make Work and Income offices safer for staff.

A convicted fraudster and "bachelorette" who hoped to steal Art Green's heart has admitted ripping off taxpayers for more than $20,000.

A new study by Victoria University student Alicia Sudden says Work and Income is pushing many beneficiaries into jobs that don't last.

Beneficiaries received more than $120 million in advance benefit payments last year for essential costs such as schooling and health care.

The Ministry of Health has defended its stance on refusing to fund a Maori safe-sleeping device.

At least 2 per cent of Housing New Zealand tenants are not eligible to live in a state house.

Hidden homelessness campaigners are scratching out messages of housing desperation the old-school way.

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

All sex offenders and certain high-risk violent criminals could be included on a register being set up to cover child-sex offenders.

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

A bouncer who was told she was "worthless" and threatened with gang action from two WINZ workers says dealing with verbally abusive customers has become commonplace.

But bar owner says the two Ministry of Social Development workers who abused his staff won't be welcome back.

Better sharing of information between state agencies may have prevented the death of a child in a poorly-maintained state house, says Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

A man abused as a ward of the state 25 years ago is incensed about the $12,000 compensation offer made to him, saying it feels 'like a kick in the guts'.

Tupua Urlich was just 17 when the state ended its care for him.

A spend of more than $360,000 on pay television subscriptions by Government departments has been criticised by Labour.

Some agencies are expected to close in a radical revamp of social service funding unveiled by Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.