Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:612;Page:9308] 
6.  
KATHERINE RICH (National) 
 to the  
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF) 
: When Department of Child Youth and Family Services spokeswoman Christine Langdon said that Child Youth and Family had no record of Ron Burrows’ call and they had “rigorous processes in place for recording notifications” what are these “rigorous processes”? 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF)) 
: 
 I am advised that when receiving a call the social worker determines the facts of the situation the immediate and future safety of the child or young person and whether in his or her professional judgment there is sufficient concern to justify investigation. If investigation by the Department of Child Youth and Family Services is considered necessary the call becomes a notification and is logged on the department’s computer system. 
Katherine Rich 
: Does the Minister agree with another comment from the Department of Child Youth and Family Services spokeswoman that “any concerns reported to the centre about the well-being of children are treated as notifications recorded and investigated”; if so why was Ron Burrows’ tearful 21-minute call—detailing issues that would upset most parents—not notified recorded and investigated? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: No not all calls received by the call centre of the Department of Child Youth and Family Services are determined to be notifications and recorded when the call is received. The social worker who receives the call makes a professional judgment about whether further investigation is warranted. 
Moana Mackey 
: What has the Government done to ensure that the Department of Child Youth and Family Services has the resources to respond appropriately to information received regarding the care and protection of children and young people? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: From the end of 1999 to the end of 2002 the Department of Child Youth and Family Services received an increase of more than 50 percent in baseline funding. In January of this year the Government agreed to a Department of Child Youth and Family Services request for a first principles baseline review the outcome of which will be announced shortly. 
Barbara Stewart 
: Has the Minister consulted any other Ministers to seek assistance for the Department of Child Youth and Family Services in addressing child abuse and neglect; if so what have they suggested? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: The issues surrounding the call for a baseline review impacted directly on the ability of the Department of Child Youth and Family Services to deliver its statutory and other Government policy requirements and obligations. That has involved very close consultation and work with other colleagues. 
Dr Muriel Newman 
: How can the public have any confidence in the Department of Child Youth and Family Services inquiry into this case given that a previous inquiry into the department’s involvement in the deaths of two Masterton schoolgirls who were killed by their stepfather Bruce Howse in 2001 has been delayed four times and has still not been released 18 months later; and in light of accusations of Government interference why will the Minister not support an independent inquiry by a parliamentary select committee? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I will answer all three questions as much as possible but I do find the terms “independent” and “select committee” slightly oxymoronic. Frankly I would have more faith in the independence of Ailsa Duffy QC in relation to the specific inquiry that was announced last week by the chief executive of the Department of Child Youth and Family Services. In relation to the report into the deaths of the two Wairarapa girls my understanding is that the Department of Child Youth and Family Services has agreed to withhold its response to those murders until the response of the Commissioner for Children is released and that response has been delayed for a little while. The reason it has been deemed better for both reports to be released at the same time is to reduce further trauma for the family and the community. 
Katherine Rich 
: In light of Mr Burrows’ comment that the Department of Child Youth and Family Services call centre told him he would have to substantiate the claims he had made before action was taken how does the Minister expect parents who are worried about child abuse unsafe conditions and older children wetting and soiling themselves to substantiate claims if that is the new benchmark to get the Department of Child Youth and Family Services to do anything? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I am advised that substantiation of claims is not necessary before a call becomes a notification and that will be one of the issues that Ailsa Duffy will be investigating.