Major drop in cases of child abuse

Reports of child abuse in Blenheim are on the rise, but actual child abuse cases have dropped dramatically, as a result of increased public awareness and growing intolerance of abuse, Child, Youth and Family (CYF) says.

Since 2005, the number of reports of alleged child abuse or neglect to CYF increased by 22 per cent, but actual cases that needed further attention dropped 35 per cent in the same time period.

CYF Blenheim site manager Kaye MacDonald said the rise in notifications in the town was the result of increased public awareness and greater intolerance of child abuse.

The increase in notifications was happening across New Zealand, she said, while the number of notifications that needed further CYF action was dropping.

From July 2008 to March 31 this year, CYF Blenheim received 598 notifications of child abuse, where children are alleged to have been abused or neglected. All those cases were assessed and 274 required further action, CYF said.

In the financial year to 2005, 489 notifications were made, of which 423 required further action.

Marlborough Women's Refuge manager Rachel Black said reports of child abuse came to it through the police and case numbers had risen.

"Because of the awareness campaigns, people are starting to say something needs to be done about this," she said.

The figures come as a report ordered by the children's commission showed 45 children under five years were seriously injured annually and about five were killed each year through maltreatment.

Children's commissioner John Angus said the report showed very young babies were most at risk because it took only a small amount of physical violence to do real harm.

Mr Angus said the report highlighted that children in the care of young men who were not their biological fathers were at particular risk.

"They are often totally unprepared for the stresses of a crying baby and may already have problems with anger or alcohol abuse."

- The Marlborough Express