Children

Calls for child protection to be a policy priority for new government

08:26 am on 27 October 2023

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Five rebrands of official agencies, eight prime ministers, at least 33 reviews and an "extraordinary" number of new plans have done little to stem serious child abuse and neglect, says the chief executive of one group working to stamp out child neglect and abuse.

Jane Searle, the chief executive of Child Matters, has been speaking in the wake of the death of Lower Hutt toddler Ru Wall. Police are now treating the death as a homicide.

Child Matters thinks the incoming government should be treating this and other cases like it as a policy priority.

Searle spoke to Corin Dann.