Call to share information on vulnerable children

Why the moronic governments agencies haven't thought of this early is beyond belief? Has anybody claiming to act in the child's best interests any common sense? Sort your shit out. The system is sick and a total let down for kiwi kids.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/6400879/Call-to-share-information-on-vulnerable-children


Children's Commissioner Russell Wills is calling on the Government to introduce laws to allow services caring for vulnerable children to share information without requiring consent from parents or guardians.
While presenting his submission to the Green Paper on Vulnerable Children to a crowd in Havelock North yesterday, Dr Wills said New Zealand needed an equivalent to legislation introduced in New South Wales in 2009.
"Information sharing means that if Pam [a service worker] is worried about a child and I'm worried about a child, currently without parent consent I can't ring Pam and say, `Pam I'm looking after this child, tell me about her', and she can't ring me."
Child, Youth and Family could share information with others, which was beneficial but did not go far enough, said Dr Wills, a Hawke's Bay paediatrician.
Under Chapter 16A of the New South Wales Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act, government agencies and authorised NGOs are required to share information with or without parents' consent.
"That's about information sharing, and we need to be doing that in New Zealand," Dr Wills said. The chapter came into force in October 2009 after a special commission of inquiry found sharing the information was essential to provide effective services.
Dr Wills said he had faith in the Whanau Ora programme, which "is not a complex idea".
"We need to pool our resources, we need to be talking together, and it needs to be culturally appropriate."
THE GREEN PAPER
Dr Russell Wills says the Green Paper on Vulnerable Children is "the best opportunity in our lifetime to change policy for children".
The paper is a discussion document that puts forward ideas on how New Zealand can better protect its children – at a government level and in society.
Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has been touring the country holding public meetings on the paper. More than 2000 submissions have been received so far.
People can make submissions on the Green Paper in a number of ways, including attending meetings, visiting the Green Paper campervan, posting on Facebook, by email or by post. The paper's submission period ends on February 28.