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Associate Social Development Minister Tariana Turia today announced that 63 community projects aimed at preventing bullying will receive grants under the first round of the Te Punanga Haumaru fund.

A panel of young people met over two days to consider the 185 applications received. All panel members had previously taken part in Ministry of Youth Development training on providing input into government decisions that affect them.

The Government’s Fresh Start reforms are having a positive impact on youth offending, Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows says.

Child, Youth and Family today released an update report on the seven key policy changes included in Fresh Start.

“Fresh Start is about getting smarter in how we deal with young offenders. While it is still early days, these results are an encouraging indication that we’re on the right track,” Mr Borrows says.

Children in care are benefiting from a life-changing government initiative to ensure health, mental health and educational needs are addressed.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says the $43.7 million Children in Care package has been well justified.

Children come into State care because they have been seriously abused or neglected and their life experiences often include exposure to domestic violence, drug abuse, gang culture and criminal behaviour.

The Government has received the Children’s Commissioner’s Expert Advisory Group’s report “Solutions to Child Poverty”, and will consider its 78 recommendations, Finance Minister Bill English and Social Development Minister Paula Bennett say.

“The Government acknowledges that many families are finding times challenging, and I thank the group for its report, which feeds into a great deal of work that is already underway,” Mr English says.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett today announced the launch of a new contestable fund to improve youth mental health information for parents, families and friends.

“We need better information for those closest to young people, who’re often the first to notice signs of mental health problems but don’t always know when to be concerned and what to do,” says Mrs Bennett.

Minister for Social Development Paula Bennett today met with Auckland Sexual Abuse Helpline (ASAH) and agreed to an interim funding arrangement with contributions from Health, Social Development and Police.

“I met with ASAH today, I’ve heard their concerns and the Government is prepared to step in to keep the service running without interruption,” says Social Development Minister Paula Bennett.

They have also committed to a sustainable three year contract with negotiations to be finalised in April 2013.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett is delighted to announce that former Governor General the Rt Hon Sir Anand Satyanand will lead the Expert Advisory Group on Information Security.

The Group will oversee implementation of the Vulnerable Kids Information System (ViKi) and new Risk Predictor Tool which have the capacity to better protect children from abuse and neglect.

Expanding relationships with Māori and iwi youth service providers is an important tool in addressing Māori over-representation in youth crime, says Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows.

“Young Māori are significantly over-represented in youth offending statistics, with an apprehension rate of more than three times that of Pacific or New Zealand European young people,” says Mr Borrows.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett today announced two new appointments to the Families Commission.

Sir Peter Gluckman and Belinda Milnes have been appointed to the Board of the Families Commission for a period of three years.

The Families Commission is currently undergoing a restructure to assume its new role providing independent monitoring, evaluation and research.

“We’ve appointed the best people for the job to oversee a major change programme within the Families Commission,” says Mrs Bennett.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has announced the second Vulnerable Children’s Team will be rolled out in Whangarei.

“Children who are at risk of abuse or neglect need professionals who bring their expertise to the table and work in a coordinated manner putting the child at the centre of all decision making.”

“Professionals from a range of disciplines can act before children suffer serious abuse and prevent the worst from happening,” says Mrs Bennett.

Foster Care Awareness Week begins with excellence awards for foster carers today, culminating with the William Wallace Awards on Friday.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says work on the White Paper for Vulnerable Children is moving ahead with the review of the Child Youth and Family complaints process already underway.

“I felt it was important we get an independent reviewer to look at whether there needs to be an independent complaints body for CYF.”

“This is something that came up at Green Paper meetings and in public submissions, so New Zealanders have been heard and we are responding,” says Mrs Bennett.

Improving the way we deal with victims of youth crime is an important part of a credible youth justice system, says Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows.

“It doesn’t matter if the criminal is 16 or 26; the impact of the crime is the same.  That’s why ensuring good treatment for victims of crime is just as important in the youth justice system as it is in the adult system,” says Mr Borrows.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett expects the independent investigation into Work and Income computer systems to give the public assurances that security is robust and private information is safe.

“I’m deeply disappointed information which should have been secure has been accessed, the public has a right to expect more of a government agency,” says Mrs Bennett.

“I’ve demanded answers as to how a journalist managed to gain access to files and I am appalled that it was possible, even with a level of skill.”

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett announced the first Children's Team will be trialled in Rotorua to local community groups today.

"A vital initiative in the White Paper will be local Children's Teams that bring professionals together to make individualised plans for vulnerable children."

"These teams will in most cases be acting before children have suffered serious abuse, so we can get ahead of the problem," says Mrs Bennett.

The White Paper for Vulnerable Children is bigger than politics. It is bigger than any one individual. It is not only for this generation of children, but also for their children and their grandchildren.

We are all responsible for the welfare and wellbeing of our children. Too many children are seriously abused and neglected. In many cases of extreme abuse a range of people held some information but no one put all the pieces together. It is time for fundamental change.

Introduction

Take care of our children, take care of what they hear, take care of what they see, take care of what they feel.

For how the children grow, so will be the shape of Aotearoa.

The work I introduce today is for the broken and the neglected, for those children that need us most as parents, neighbours, practitioners, politicians, and carers and as New Zealanders.

To honour Dame Whina Cooper's words; this is a new way of caring for our most vulnerable children.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has released the White Paper for Vulnerable Children today at the Jigsaw national conference in Wellington.

"We will target support and services to our most vulnerable children through more than 30 new initiatives introduced in the White Paper," says Mrs Bennett.

"Too many New Zealand children are seriously abused and neglected. In many cases of extreme abuse a range of people held some information but no one put all the pieces together, it is time for fundamental change," she says.

Employers in both the state and private sectors have been recognised today for going the extra mile for staff with significant disabilities.

At today’s Mainstream Awards ceremony in Wellington, the New Zealand Police was named the 2012 employer of the year for providing high quality supported employment.

The awards ceremony – into its 13th year – acknowledges those employers who have created successful job placements for disabled people and encourages other employers to follow suit.

Thank you Debbie Power, for your introduction.

I have been greatly looking forward to this ceremony to recognise and celebrate the successes of employers and employment agents who are doing so much to create an enabling society.

The annual Mainstream Placement Awards are a fantastic opportunity to recognise excellence in supported employment practice.

Today we celebrate a group of businesses, people and whanau who are taking action to create a more inclusive society.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett and Immigration Minister Nathan Guy have today announced a further boost to recruitment for the Christchurch rebuild through a new Canterbury Skills and Employment Hub.

"Helping people into work on the Christchurch rebuild is a key priority for this Government and a streamlined business friendly recruitment process is vital," says Mrs Bennett.

September has seen a small increase in the number of people on benefits says Social Development Minister Paula Bennett.

Over the last few months the total number of people on benefits has held at between 321,000 and 319,000.

Benefit figures rose by 0.5 per cent to 320,942 compared with 328,496 in September 2011. This is the lowest overall benefit figure for September since 2008.

“There are over 7,500 fewer people on a benefit this September than last, and we need to work hard to ensure this overall decline continues,” says Mrs Bennett.

E nga mana, e nga reo, e te iwi o te motu, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa

I would like to acknowledge the Dean of Medicine Sunny Collins and Otago University Wellington for generously hosting us this evening and the Health and Disability Panel for their advice and expertise.

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows welcomed the impending start of new information sharing between Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) as a huge step forward in preventing welfare fraud.

“The vast majority of beneficiaries are doing the best they can and follow the rules, but a small minority exploit the system at great cost to taxpayers,” says Mr Borrows.

Last year alone 714 people were convicted of benefit fraud totalling $23.4 million.