Investing in New Zealand's Children and Their Families
18 August 2016.
Ministry of Social Development Chief Executive Brendan Boyle says that the Cabinet’s decision to establish a new department is the best way to deliver a new operating model that will support better outcomes for New Zealand’s most vulnerable children and young people.
The new department will be called the Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki.
Brendan Boyle welcomed the State Service Commissioner’s announcement that Gráinne Moss will be the chief executive for the new department.
The Government has recently confirmed the roles and functions of the new Ministry. Removing a range of functions to transfer into the new department has a significant impact on the Ministry of Social Development.
“Broadly, the new Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki will have a specific focus on vulnerable children and young people and the services that support them, encompassing care and protection and youth justice services. It will include the current Children’s Action Plan Directorate and Children’s Teams, family and sexual violence services relating to child victims or perpetrators, and Community Investment functions relating to funding and contracting services for vulnerable children.
Services that focus on supporting adult members of a family will remain with the Ministry of Social Development. These include the assessment and payment of welfare benefits, employment support and training and social housing assessments and purchasing places for emergency and social housing. Funding and contracting for social services not focused on vulnerable children, as well as those family and sexual violence services not directly related to child victims or perpetrators will also remain with the Ministry of Social Development.
”While the functions will now be separate, the operating models of the two departments will be closely aligned and they will work closely together in the future to ensure improved outcomes for the wider family and whanau.
“We have a significant change programme to deliver between now and the beginning of April next year when the new department begins operating.
“I’m committed to ensuring that the Ministry of Social Development maintains services and support to New Zealanders as we develop the two new agencies and work towards a child-centred approach which will transform the way we work with vulnerable children and young people”.
