Paula Bennett

Wellington, March 3 NZPA - The Government is to consider tracking abusive mothers throughout their lives -- one of several recommendations in a new report out today.

The Experts Forum on Child Abuse report highlights problems where officials were not told when a further child was born into an abusive family.

Currently cases are closed when a child dies from abuse or has been removed by social services, but the report recommends changing that so they remain open and health professionals can be alerted about the family history when a new child is born.

Other recommendations are:

* Better prevention through support and education before birth; targeted home-based support for families who need it; inter-agency cooperation for families where a problem has been reported;

* changes to allow data sharing between agencies including the measure to keep files live;

* changing the law to require health and education providers to protect children from abuse and neglect and amending the Children Young Persons and their Families Act to require agencies to work together; share information; and attend family group conferences when asked to.

* better addressing of drug and alcohol problems by giving parents with small children priority access to mental health and addiction services; and establishing a trial programme combining mental health and child protection services.

The report said more work needed to be done to develop ideas and said capacity building in the workforce would be needed.

A spokeswoman for Ms Bennett said all recommendations were being considered. "It is fair to say the minister supports them in principle. She says she supports any measures that will make our children safer."

In a statement Ms Bennett said the report challenged the way vulnerable children were protected.

Between 2008 and 2009, Child Youth and Family dealt with 19,596 new cases of substantiated abuse.

"There is a real concern that despite a range of agencies that deal with at risk children and their families, still too many of our most vulnerable children slip through the cracks."

Ms Bennett said some of the recommendations were "really basic stuff".

"I am determined to close the gaps that, despite the best efforts of many agencies, at-risk children have been falling through."

Green Party MP Keith Locke told NZPA he could see merit in the idea of tracking mothers.

"I can see some merit in it so long as its not too intrusive and doesn't undermine people trying to start up a new life."

The forum included Starship hospital's Dr Patrick Kelly, Children's Commissioner John Angus, Principal Family Court Judge Peter Boshier, Archdeacon Dr Hone Kaa, Paediatric Society president Rosemary Marks and university academics.

The forum was part of a wider review Ms Bennett is undertaking following findings that 1800 children subjected to abuse or neglect in 2008 were abused again within six months.