•~~.
• we really care a. P.O.
Box 15683,
Tauranga, 3144 p.
0800 366 878 f. 07 5718031 e.
info~footsteps.co.nz
footsteps.co.nz
Background
Footsteps is a home based early childhood education service that has a community focus particularly supporting young children that are taken into the care and protection of Child, Youth and Family. This work has become more of a focus as neuroscience now shows how important the first three years are to brain development.
The children that Footsteps works with nationally are often from adverse and traumatic backgrounds, which is detrimental to their future well − being. The children we work with are the vulnerable children directly affected by the Vulnerable Children Bill. Having support in the home and understanding the importance of nurture and well foster and wh ā
− being
− as well as building learning for nau caregivers is one important opportunity to significantly improve the outcomes for these children and create a positive future for the child.
We have supported over 5000 children under Child, Youth and Family care, just under half being Maori or Pasifika.
The Footsteps programme is evidence − based: created and supported by research and scholarly literature, which attests to the effectiveness of intervening early to support families with young children in their home environment, as a measure to reduce the dysfunction in families. Early childhood − trained Footsteps teachers support children and caregivers with individually designed, strength − based programmes that combine their professional expertise with the wh ā nau needs and abilities. We work alongside and collaboratively with other agencies and services to utilise their expertise and knowledge to ensure the whole child is taken into account.
Our submission focuses on our expertise and knowledge in this field and comes from an early childhood education perspective. We believe that this is one part of the bigger puzzle to ensuring positive outcomes, particularly for those children most in need in our society. We believe that working holistically and combining health, social well − being and education in the solution will provide the best outcome.
Footsetps position on the Vulnerable Children Bill
Footsteps Education supports The Vulnerable Children Bill's objectives to:
• Make front line staff responsible to keep children safe from harm or neglect
•
Protect children from adults harming them and
• Support children already in Child Youth and Family care
•
Addressing child vulnerability in NZ.
However, we wish to draw your attention to the need for a broader plan and policy for all children, with a focus on preventing vulnerability. There appears to be no robust plan for preventative measures to build the protective factors around children and families, and stop children from coming into care. We note government inaction on recommendations emerging from the UN Committee for the Rights of the Child, recommending an action plan for all children.
It is also a concern that within the Bill there is no requirement for the increase of skills and knowledge to enable positive outcomes for vulnerable children. Caregivers should be obligated to learn how to best care for our most vulnerable children with wrap
− around support services sharing their expertise with them. Without this in place we are setting our children and families up for failure under this Bill.

•~~.
• we really care a.
P.O. Box 15683,
Tauranga, 3144
.
0800 366 878 f. 07 571 8031
.
e info~footsteps.co.nz
footsteps.co.nz
Part 1: Cross Agency Measures
The intention for agencies to work together means funding and operational changes are required. Serious consideration needs to be given to situations where a policy in one government department impacts on the best interests of the child and their future. What mechanism is in place to enable agencies to call each
− other to account where the policies being administered by them, or their practice, is detrimental to child
− wellbeing?
Currently, a `home for life' child or any child that has been in Child, Youth and Family care is likely to experience poor outcomes. They need continued support and we consider there is a need, for the Ministry for Social Development to clearly articulate the outcomes that are sought for all children in its care and the measures that will be taken to achieve them. For example, having an early childhood education service work within the home environment to help meet the specific needs of the child and wh ā nau.
We are concerned that the Ministries of Health, Social Development and Education do not adequately consult to ensure a coherent approach to child well − being. In our experience, the
Ministry of Education in particular seems to lack understanding about its role in enhancing the social wellbeing of children, especially vulnerable children. We therefore welcome the move towards collective responsibility for vulnerable children. For this to work departments must also share the financial responsibility to ensure the child gets the support they need and deserve from the very beginning. Clear cross − agency plans and accountability measures are essential to achieve the Bill's objective of making front line staff responsible to keep children safe rather than
'passing the buck' to another department.
The children's teams are an effective way to ensure the child's holistic needs are met, as the child's issues cannot be solved in isolation. Therefore it is imperative that no one area has the entire focus, such as health, as early childhood education (learning) and the child's social development are equally important. It is also important that the Children's teams work from the community needs and understanding of what is working, rather than what those that are putting the teams in place think is best.
Child Youth and Family have many areas of responsibility in this Bill. However, it seems that
CYF is currently under resourced with their current caseloads. We would like to see a clear government commitment to addressing this.
Subpart 1 − Government priorities for vulnerable children and vulnerable children plan:
Clause (6) we recommend that the Select Committee include the following wording in the measures to improve child wellbeing:
"(g) upholding their rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child."
Subpart 2 − Child Protection Policies:
Clause (74) although we agree with the general intent of this clause, we consider that ECE services should be included in adopting child protection policies and specific training in child protection is required when adopting these to ensure matters can be identified and reported correctly.

~~~~
• we really care a. PO. Box 15683,
Tauranga, 3144
.
0800 366 878 f. 07 571 8031
.
e info~footsteps.co.nz
footsteps.co.nz
Subpart 3
− Children's worker safety checking:
Clause (23) regulated activity
We wish to make the following comment about what is classed as a regulated activity.
Childcare and early years education provided outside a child's home should also include care within the home environment.
Wh ā nau care also needs to be regulated. If children are in unsafe and dysfunctional environments, research shows that their outcomes will not be positive. This being the case children need to be put into an environment that is beneficial to their future − not always placed with extended family as a priority if this environment is not appropriate. Such placements could mean children remain in the same dysfunction from which they have come. If the child is safe in the environment then concentrated support should be put into the home to ensure all those involved are given choices and new knowledge to move forward in the best interests of the child.
In − home care being classed as a regulated activity ensures the same standard of care is required regardless of whether the care is provided by wh ā nau or non − wh ā nau members.
Obligations of specified organisations:
Clause (25) Safety checks of new children's workers.
Police checks
− Police vetting needs to be subsidised to allow services to complete checks. At a minimum we suggest that the cost and bureaucracy associated with safety checks is monitored.
We also suggest that any're
− apply' results need to clearly state if a child is involved in the case to protect our tamariki.
Clause (26) Safety checks of existing children's workers.
3 years is a rather long period between Police checks when direct contact is on a regular basis. If we say we care about keeping children safe then we should address the regulated timeframe of safety checks.
Part 2: Child Harm Prevention Orders
We support this clause but wish to raise the following issue.
Child Harm Prevention Orders come under civil jurisdiction and we are uncertain whether these results will be visible if Police Checks only check for criminal convictions. If not, how will this achieve the Bill's objective to protect children from adults harming them?
Visibility needs to be set up nationally and consistently to allow services to keep children safe.
Part 3: Amendments To Acts
Permanent caregivers
Clause 132 amends Section 389 (financial and other assistance in other cases) subsection (2a)
We support this clause and believe the objective of the Bill to support children already in care has been addressed where Child, Youth and Family must provide financial assistance to a permanent caregiver for education if reasonable.
All children that have come to the notice of Child, Youth and Family, particularly those from 0 to
5 years should have all the support to ensure that they have services and community in place at this most vulnerable age. To intervene at this critical period is not only fiscally sensible − to reduce high costs later in life
− but it is a moral duty to give the child and family alternatives so the child has a chance to reach their full potential.

•
~
••~~ a. P.O. Box 15683,
Tauranga, 3144
• we really care .
0800 366 878 f. 07 571 8031 e. info~footsteps.co.nz
footsteps.co.nz
In conclusion we believe that a more focused plan and policy around preventing children from becoming vulnerable needs to be included in this Bill.
• Serious consideration needs to be given to how funding will work, within a cross agency strategy. This barrier prevents effective services from meeting the needs and accountability for services to show they are meeting the need and making a difference to our children.
• Services that are focused on the children most in need should have a voice and the support from government to allow them to work more effectively. There is no need to put in money to set up new services, or import models from overseas when good national services in the community are already available and are able to target NZ society and its unique needs.
• Care within the home needs to become regulated and caregivers must also be accountable to providing support to the children they care for. For this to happen we need to define what supporting these children looks like.
• Safety checks need to be consistent across all services to protect our children.
• A `home for life' or any child that has been in Child, Youth and Family care should and needs continued support for the best outcome and having an early childhood education service work within the home environment, meets the specific needs of the child and wh ā nau.
We look forward to discussing our recommendations on the Vulnerable Children Bill before the
Select Committee.
Ke~hristie
Director
Footsteps Education