Ngaro AlfredALFRED NGARO (National): I rise to take a call in the third reading of the Children Young Persons and Their Families (Advocacy Workforce and Age Settings) Amendment Bill. It was in April of this year—in 2016—when the Minister commissioned not only just a review but potentially an overhaul of the system. This is the first part of that system. I can remember that we had not only the expert advisory panel (EAP) but what was also significant I think was the Youth Advisory Panel. I want to mention that because their voices were quite critical to the concerns that were raised by the EAP and then also by the Youth Advisory Panel. I just want to make mention of that because some of those comments that they raised were quite significant in the shaping of this bill where it is today and some of the significant elements of the bill as well.The Youth Advisory Panel made it clear in its submissions both to the Minister and to the Government that it wants the State to stop experimenting with young people's lives. That is their impression—those who have been in care for some time had simply asked whether we could stop the fact of the transient nature that they were often experiencing. The trauma that it created for them was such that they asked that they be able to have clear lines of accountability and also that they not have the transience that was traumatising them. They also said that they want a child's first care placement to be the best and to ensure that it delivers a loving long-term and stable home. The current system in contrast sees children as young as 7 having already had eight different placements resulting in trauma that can affect these young people often for the rest of their lives. We know that the research has clearly shown that children who are in State care up to the age of 17 are 22 times more likely to be in the State system in a variety of different ways whether it be through the youth justice system or in the welfare system. We know that we must do a better job.I want to commend the Minister for Social Development because what she took on was not another review; in fact the Children Young Persons and Their Families Act has been reviewed over 14 times. She chose rather than another review to have an overhaul. This is the first part of the overhaul of that system. I just want to be able to acknowledge her leadership in that regard.One of the things that was really clear that came out of both panels—the youth and the expert advisory panels—was that when they looked at the current system as it exists it did not place children at the centre. You would think that in its paramountcy foundation—I know that Peeni Henare talked around Pūao-te-ata-tū where it talks about the paramountcy clause and the principle that our children our tamariki should be at the centre as well as our whānau. Yet is it not interesting that a system that has been operating for such a long time still did not place children at the centre of this? That is the essence of this as well.The other aspect that was important is that it does not meet the needs of vulnerable young people as they move into adulthood. Here is the transition phase that we are talking about which is a critical part of this element. It is fragmented it does not have the clear lines of accountability and it is not organised around a common purpose. I think that the bill as it stands—the first part of that transformation and change—is trying to address these issues and has addressed them in the best possible way as well.One of the things that I also want to address—I know that there have been some comments from the Opposition. In fact I know that it was Jacinda Ardern who in the Committee stage put forward Supplementary Order Paper 248 which was trying to address I suppose the lines of accountability for the chief executive. I know there has been some criticism around that hence the reason why members of the Opposition are not supporting this bill. There is some disappointment around that because I know that I was actually at the Dingwall Trust with Ms Ardern. We heard the submissions. We heard the calls from those young people to raise the age of State care to ensure that there was a smoother transition into adulthood and that is what this bill is trying to do. So although there is opposition to the bill as it stands I know there are elements of it that those Opposition members do support and this is one of them. I think that is quite critically important to raise that as well.Some of the Opposition members have a problem with the power to delegate these functions. I want to make it really clear that as a Government we know that it is important that it is not only registered social workers who play a critical role but there has also been a significant number of other key stakeholders. We have a variety of different skill sets that are critically important to that care—that wraps around the child as well. You can have everything from child psychotherapists to psychologists; you could have speech language therapists—there are a number of other key roles that are quite critically important. At that point in time in a form of trauma it is what the child needs most to gain trust and confidence in a process of healing. So we believe that this is important and the reality is that we need a mix of skills. Work is currently already continuing in the new model which is a transformation team that is busy introducing—and it is supported by a budget which was announced in our Budget of 2016 of $200 million that takes us alongside the normal Child Youth and Family operations as well. So that is an extra $144 million that we are putting in to address not only the cost pressures but also some of the changes that need to happen. What we are simply saying here is that the delegated powers will not be carelessly given to those who are not approved—in fact it will be given to those who are approved. It will be given to those who have specialist skills that are much needed again to meet the form of trauma that these young people have as well. In my brief contribution to the House can I just commend the Minister for her leadership. Can I also say that throughout the process of hearing these submissions—can I thank the submitters both in NGOs and also others who came personally to submit—I actually felt that we had a good working relationship inside the Social Services Committee right across the different parties and were able to address this bill and bring it back in the best form that we could. Again it is one part of the transformation change of legislation that the Minister is introducing. It will increase the age settings for care. It will ensure that children are at the centre of the system of childcare and protection. It will also ensure that there is an advocacy service that allows for that care and that transition into adulthood for our young people as well. I do commend this bill. I look forward to its Royal assent and also to its implementation in a much needed part of our sector of care. I commend this bill to the House.