A CYF supervisor says an oversight meant a parental assessment was not carried out for a baby boy who was returned to his parents and allegedly drowned by his mother.

Dita De Boni wonders whether a food stamp scheme for those on low incomes could work in New Zealand.

The Govt is likely to continue with further reform aimed at reducing long-term welfare dependency, John Key says.

Controversial new data suggests that more than half of all sole parents on the domestic purposes benefit first became beneficiaries as teens.

A growing number of unemployed couples are living apart so one can claim the domestic purposes benefit to get more money, say beneficiary advocates.