Whakarongo mai whānau!
CYFS is the Humpty Dumpty of New Zealand
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wallHumpty Dumpty had a great fallAll the people who cameCouldn't put Humpty Dumpty together again
I am oppositional defiant
When I hear the words "Can't" and "Impossible"
I say
We can do
When you believe you make the seemingly impossible
Possible
Social workers working for CYFS create many of the problems that families, parents and children face in New Zealand.
All professionals know this:
"We are only as good as the knowledge and support we are given"
In order to understand why we have CYFS social workers that are not following best practices, we need to know about the supports that social workers have in order to do their work.
Agencies that "support" CYFS social workers in New Zealand
Social Workers Registration Board
Social Workers Registration Board and MSD have a Memorandum of Understanding dated May 2016
The SWRB was created under the Social Workers Registration Act 2003
It is a CROWN entity
The main purpose of the SWRB is to
PROTECT THE SAFETY OF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BY ENSURING SOCIAL WORKERS ARE COMPETENT TO PRACTICE AND ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE WAY IN WHICH THEY PRACTICE
It further states this:
CHILD, YOUTH and FAMILY, a service of the Ministry,
WILL DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP in the sector by
DRIVING BEST PRACTICE in relation to
SOCIAL WORK and
SOCIAL WORK REGISTRATION
If you have been HARMED by CYFS social workers then chances are the social workers are incompetent as they may have failed in the following
- DUTY OF CARE
- DUE DILIGENCE
- FOLLOW BEST PRACTICE
- KEEP FULL AND ACCURATE RECORDS
- WORK IN THE CHILD'S BEST INTERESTS
- PROVIDE APPROPRIATE FIRST RESPONSE SUPPORT TO THE FAMILY
- COMPLY WITH THEIR LEGAL AND STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS INCLUDING THESE ACTS
- PRIVACY ACT 2020
- PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 2005
- ORANGA TAMARIKI ACT 1989
- CHILDREN'S ACT 2014
Social workers have a practising certificate - it is endorsed by the SWRB
Therefore, the SWRB are responsible for ensuring social workers are competent
Employers of social workers
The SWRB rely on the social worker's employer to do appraisals on their social workers because they provide evidence to the SWRB that the social workers are competent.
The social worker's supervisor would sign off the social worker as competent and that they meet the requirements of their standards and code of conduct.
The employers of social workers have to be good employers under the Employment Relations Act.
As good employers they must provide working conditions, support and professional development for their social workers to ensure that social workers can do their job competently.
Unions
Social workers can join a union who work to improve the working conditions and pay scale for social workers by representing them.
The unions would have a good understanding of what social workers are doing and facing.
Unions representing social workers KNOW about what many of us have been raising concerns about
The Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers is one union for social workers in NZ.....they have a Memorandum of Understanding with the SWRB dated March 2017
The Social Worker Action Network (SWAN) is a network within the Public Services Association that aims to unify, inspire, inform, and advocate for social workers.
Universities
Social workers are also required to get training at University.
Universities influence the thinking of social workers by the knowledge they provide social workers. They would communicate with the agencies above to identify the content social workers need in order to work as a social worker in NZ.
The department within the University developing and monitoring the social worker's courses KNOW about the practice of social workers in New Zealand
Minister of Parliament
All these agencies should be monitored by the Minister who holds the portfolio for Minister for Children - Kelvin Davis because they impact and influence the practice of the CYFS social workers
Prime Minister and Cabinet in parliament
The Minister for Children would then feedback to the Prime Minister and to the Cabinet so they would know
When a social worker is incompetent and does not follow their standards and code of conduct then it is due to the involvement of a number of agencies.
I contend
I contend that all those agencies have knowledge of just how bad the practices are
I contend that they have known for a very long time
I contend that rather than acknowledging and facing the systemic failures, they are covering them up
I contend that the agencies are too scared to acknowledge the truth because they fear that the whole system will come tumbling down just like Humpty Dumpty
I contend that all those agencies have to be held accountable for their part in the problems we face with the practice of Oranga Tamariki social workers
Moving forward
To address poor social worker practice, it is imperative that the agencies acknowledge the truth.
They will not be able to address the systemic failures within CYFS that cause significant harm to our families, parents and children until they face the truth
The agencies need to have the courage to face the truth, bring together a team of the right people including the people to find solutions and then to implement and monitor them
By the people
For the people
The first step to transformation is awareness
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