The Poutasi review highlighted that multiple layers of government systems and processes needed to be improved to put child safety first.

The announcement by Minister for Child Poverty Reduction Louise Upston sets a direction of travel for implementing all the recommendations.

A cross-agency response will make sure:

• children are safer, with a focus on supporting children whose sole parent is a parent in custody or sentenced to a term of imprisonment
• the children’s system has a consistent approach to sharing information, reporting on, and responding to suspected abuse.

Initial work will begin on a mandatory training programme for designated workforces, so people clearly know how to identify and report child abuse. This will occur before further system change is introduced.

Agencies will now undertake detailed policy analysis and service design. This will include confirming who the mandatory training and reporting regime will apply to and the types of abuse to be included, as well as the timing and staging for rolling out mandatory training.

Current training and reporting processes will continue to operate under current settings. The more detailed design will be subject to further Cabinet decisions expected before the end of 2025.

Agencies involved in work on the recommendations include Oranga Tamariki | Ministry for Children, the New Zealand Police, the Ministries of Education, Health, Social Development (MSD), Justice, and Health New Zealand.