About Children’s Teams
Children’s Teams
Children’s Teams are about working with at-risk children early to ensure they are safe from harm,
‘thrive, achieve and belong’. Children’s Teams bring together professionals and NGOs from across
all the sectors to address the needs of vulnerable children and their families. The teams are part of
the wider Government strategy to improve the wellbeing of our vulnerable children through the
Children’s Action Plan and were introduced following an extensive conversation with New
Zealanders about the roles that everyone can play in protecting children.
The Children’s Team assigns a Lead Professional to work with the child, becoming a key point of
contact for the child, working alongside the family and a range of other professionals, iwi, social
service and health NGOs. They identify the right way to ensure the child is free from harm, has
their health needs met, and is able to participate actively in education (ECE or school).
Each child has a unique family and often complex set of circumstances and each local community
is different. Children’s Teams are designed to be flexible and unique to the communities in which
they are established. This community-led approach builds on what already exists and responds to
the unique needs of each community.
Working differently
A Lead Professional brings together a team that addresses all the issues a child and their family
may have – rather than just one aspect of the problem.
This means the child gets extra support to ensure he or she gets the services that they need. To be
successful, it takes a single-minded focus on the child and a different way of working;

at risk children are targeted early, before they come to harm
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a Lead Professional identifies what a child needs and works with all agencies, local
professionals, NGOs and iwi to ensure the right services are delivered early

accountability is at every level, from the Chief Executives of government agencies to the
front-line workers interacting directly with children and their families.
Demonstration sites
Over the past year two demonstration sites have been set up in Whangarei and Rotorua. Over 100
children have already been referred to a Children’s Team.

Teams designed by local people are already working with vulnerable children and their
families.

Local professionals, non-government agencies and iwi have set up local solutions, tailored
to the needs of their location.
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Children with complex needs and family situations are already benefitting from work at the two
demonstration sites. We are seeing better attendance at health appointments, better parenting, reenrolments in early childhood centres and school, better access to Work and Income entitlements,
improved mental health for children and positive behavioural changes. The siblings and parents of
children referred are also benefitting as their needs are recognised and being addressed too.
New Children’s Teams
Work at demonstration sites over the last year has provided the necessary on-the-ground
experience and lessons to roll out further teams around the country.
Eight new Children’s Teams are planned before the end of June 2015:

Horowhenua

Marlborough

Clendon/Manurewa/Papakura

Hamilton City

Gisborne

Whanganui

Christchurch

Whakatane
The Children’s Action Plan
The Children’s Teams are part of a wider Government strategy to improve the wellbeing of New
Zealand children.
In July 2011, the Government released a Green Paper for Vulnerable Children to canvass the
views of New Zealanders on how we help prevent child abuse and neglect. Nearly 10,000
submissions were received over seven months.
These views have informed the decisions made by the Government, which are now outlined in the
White Paper for Vulnerable Children. A Vulnerable Children Bill was introduced to Parliament in
September 2013.
Through the Children’s Action Plan everyone has a role to play supporting vulnerable kids and their
families. Our aim is to prevent child abuse before it happens, but for children who have already
been abused, to identify that abuse and protect kids from further harm.
That means:

Supporting vulnerable children and their families so children don’t need Child, Youth and
Family (CYF) intervention to keep them safe – they are already thriving.

Providing the best possible support services to children who have already been harmed,
through CYF.
The Children’s Action Plan appropriation for 2014/15 is $16.35 million.
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Action taken so far
The Plan is already being put into action, setting our children up for the future, and making sure
fewer children are in care, have poor health, fail to get NCEA, enter our youth justice system or go
to prison.

Vulnerable Children’s Board of Chief Executives established last year.
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Children’s Teams operating in Whangarei and Rotorua.

Work underway to develop The Hub – a triage point for referrals, calls, texts or emails about
children who are, or are at risk of being abused or neglected.

Work underway on a Vulnerable Kids Information System.

Work underway to set up the legal framework to share information.

Creating safe and competent Children’s Workforce by requiring agencies to vet and screen
staff and have child protection policies in place.
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