General Article: The Children, Young Persons and Their Families (Advocacy, Workforce, and Age Settings) Amendment Bill – 3 June 2016 (18/2016)
- On Wednesday the Minister for Social Development, Anne Tolley, introduced The Children, Young Persons and Their Families (Advocacy, Workforce, and Age Settings) Amendment Bill into Parliament. This is part of restructuring the services of the Children, Young Persons service (CYF) within the Department of Social Development. The Bill introduces four key changes by:
- extending the age of state care to a young person’s 18th birthday;
- better ensuring the views of children and young people are taken into account at both a case level, and in service delivery;
- establishing an independent youth advocacy service; and.
- enabling a broader range of professionals to perform some functions under the Act. (Social workers would still be the main professionals responsible for carrying out these functions.)