Families 'of concern' in line for CYF visit

Social workers will hand out advice to at least 20,000 parents visited "because someone has told us they are concerned about your child".

The advice booklets are being distributed to social workers next week as part of a new information campaign on the anti-smacking law. The campaign, which will include an advice phone line – 0508 ASK CYF, follows recommendations from a review into the application of the law last year.

The review, led by psychologist Nigel Latta, found there was more that could be done to reassure parents about the anti-smacking law.

Child, Youth and Family (CYF) yesterday said it was on track to implement all the recommendations from the Latta review by April 1.

A print run of 20,000 booklets titled When We Visit was being rolled out to social workers this month and would be handed to all parents visited by CYF from April 1.

It states: "If we've come to see you it is usually because someone has told us they are concerned about your child. We'll talk through these worries with you, listen to you and see if there is anything we need to do to support your family."

It says CYF "may not need to talk to you again," but it is possible "we may take some action to keep your children safe".

It explains what CYF is, who the social worker is, what happens next and what a parent's rights are.

Parents can ring the 24-hour freephone 0508 ASK CYF, which will be connected from April 1, with questions.

CYF will also implement a data collection system on cases where smacking is a concern.

Prime Minister John Key said the new safeguards "give parents comfort they will not be criminalised for lightly smacking their children".

Former Green MP Sue Bradford, whose private member's bill sparked the 2007 anti-smacking law change, said the extra information was welcome. "There are so many people who get upset because they've been visited by CYF – they don't understand, they don't know what to do so I think it's great that they've done this."

The information did not say anything specifically about the anti-smacking law, however.

"I still think it would have been good and still would be good if the Government put out some information that directly explains the law," she said.

Police deputy commissioner Rob Pope said confusion had been created during debate about the law change.

"A lot of that is probably misunderstanding of the role police would have in applying the law and the potential consequences," Pope said.

Police were focused on assaults against children.

"When people are being prosecuted, they're not being prosecuted for smacking, they're being prosecuted for assault," he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News