A giant leap for the Government's children's reforms today - with the official launch of the new Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki.
Minister Anne Tolley says around 3500 staff are set to move across from their various positions within the current Ministry for Social Development.
Ms Tolley said there are a number of changes from the get-go, such as raising the age a young person stays in state care to 18 years - over time it will be raised to 21.
SEE ALSO: Scepticism remains as new ministry for vulnerable kids opens
She said the new Ministry will oversee all of the children's services that were previously under the Ministry for Social Development.
"$200 million worth of community programmes that are delivered out by NGOs around the country, that all moves across, plus our children's team."
Ms Tolley said they won't be relying solely on social workers at the coalface, and investing in specialists like child psychologists and mental health professionals.
She said it's the beginning of a major culture shift in the way we deal with at-risk and vulnerable children and families.
"I think over the next four to five years we'll see a different mix of social workers working in groups of people with different specialist skills."
LISTEN ABOVE AS MINISTER ANNE TOLLEY SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING
Ms Tolley told Mike Hosking this morning the new ministry is "absolutely essential" for New Zealand's most vulnerable kids.
She said it's very easy to whitewash this and say it's a ministry for all children.
"But actually there are, in New Zealand, a large number of children who live in very vulnerable circumstances, and it's right that New Zealand should be reminded of that."
The Prime Minister says we can do more for vulnerable children, and the Government's new Ministry will make sure of that.
Bill English said it's very focused on doing more, sooner, for children, and supporting foster parents more so they can have a better life.
"I think everyone understands we can do a better job for our vulnerable kids, so this new organisation is a different way of looking at these children."
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