Child Youth and Family will not comment on how an 11-year-old boy in their care ended up leading police in a high-speed vehicle chase through Papakura overnight.
The boy was caught by police behind the wheel of a car around midnight after the chase.
Senior Sergeant Stephen Richards of Counties Manukau police said the boy drove of speeds up to 120 km/h for about two minutes before stopping.
The boy's 14-year-old passenger fled but was found an hour later.
The driver was spoken to by police at the scene.
In a statement this morning CYF clarified that the boy was cared for in a community placement, not a secure unit, but would not say any more because it was a matter for the police.
Police later said a Manurewa police patrol was alerted about 12.05am to a vehicle performing a "sustained loss of traction manoeuvre".
After police attempted to pull the car over it fled, resulting in the pursuit.
It stopped a short time later.
Both the driver and the passenger were still being spoken to by police.