The Government is taking immediate steps to strengthen child protection, including improving how agencies work together to protect children, by launching a new inter-agency hub and testing of a child protection training module.

The hub will focus on supporting children whose sole parents are remanded in custody or sentenced to prison, making sure they are identified early and supported appropriately. The training module will provide foundational knowledge needed to recognise and report on possible child abuse or neglect.

For schools, kura and early learning services, existing child safety responsibilities and reporting processes do not change.

Educators continue to play an important role in noticing concerns and supporting children while the new hub will improve coordination and information sharing between agencies behind the scenes.

This work is part of a wider response to the Dame Karen Poutasi Review recommendations and reflects a shared commitment to ensuring every child in Aotearoa New Zealand feels safe and supported.