Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:677;Page:400] 
4. 
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development 
: E pehea te Minita e mohio ai kei te piki te ora o nga tamariki i roto i nga ringaringa o Child Youth and Family? 
[ 
How will she ensure that children are not made more vulnerable than when they went into the care of Child Youth and Family? 
] 
Hon CHESTER BORROWS (Associate Minister of Social Development)  
on behalf of the Minister for Social Development: The Government has been working hard to address how we better care for children who come into the care of Child Youth and Family. Just one example is this Government’s commitment of $43.7 million to the children in care package which requires psychiatric educational social and medical needs assessment so that children in its care with unmet needs receive tailor-made care and are not treated like a commodity. We will be making further decisions as part of the green paper and white paper process.  
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Kia ora Mr Speaker. What does it say about Child Youth and Family that a response to the green paper from one of the children living at a Child Youth and Family home was: “We shouldn’t have Child Youth and Family. The police turn into CYF. CYF is the same as the police with residences instead of cells. CYF are supposed to help me change but they don’t. CYF should keep families together.”?  
Hon CHESTER BORROWS 
: The Government welcomes their feedback. It is an important part of the green paper process and these people are at the coalface of engagement with Child Youth and Family. But I believe that the context is also important. Most of these young people either have been sent to a youth justice residence by a judge having broken the law and it would not surprise anyone that they do not always view authority fondly or are in need of care and protection because they have been abused and neglected by those people who are supposed to love them. These residences house the hardest most traumatised and neglected young people so the report will reflect that.  
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Do the responses from children in the care of Child Youth and Family to the green paper such as “Child Youth and Family not just to walk in and take you away from your family.” and “Not getting Child Youth and Family involved they take us from family.” point to a need for a more whanau-based approach to looking after vulnerable children an approach like Whanau Ora?  
Hon CHESTER BORROWS 
: We know that a high number of Maori children are in whanau-based care. About 60 percent of Maori children within Child Youth and Family care are with their whanau. We have got to remember that this is about what is in the best interests of the child and this is a subject area that is part of the green paper discussion process. So we look forward to members of the public especially those who have a history of engaging with Child Youth and Family making their submissions by the close of the discussion paper at the end of the month.  
Jacinda Ardern 
: Does the green paper address the root causes of the vulnerability of children when it dismisses the role of poverty stating that “Research shows that poverty in itself does not determine life outcomes.” given the priorities identified by children themselves included the basics of food a bed shelter heat and clean clothes?  
Hon CHESTER BORROWS 
: The green paper does not reject child poverty as a cause for engagement with Child Youth and Family. We look forward to everyone engaging with this process and bringing his or her submissions to the table including submissions around child poverty.  
Jacinda Ardern 
: Can the Minister assure the public that all submissions to the green paper will be considered when a draft white paper is already being circulated by the ministry?  
Hon CHESTER BORROWS 
: Yes.