Database will protect babies at highest risk

Children born into high-risk situations will be better protected when a database of New Zealand's most vulnerable children and families is launched, the Northland District Health board says.

Kath Bowmar, Well Child youth and clinical services manager at Northland DHB, said it was better if mothers in "high social risk" situations were identified before a child was born - something the database could help achieve.

The database was one of the key initiatives announced in the Government's recent white paper. Community organisations, teachers, doctors and Child, Youth and Family workers will have access to the database, which will register between 20,000 and 30,000 vulnerable individuals.

Users will be able to view a child's case and compare their own notes to those of other professionals working with that child. It is part of a raft of legal reforms planned to tackle child cruelty over the next five years.

Ms Bowmar said discussions had already begun around its implementation in Northland.

"Research evidence shows that early intervention and identification of high social risk mothers is best practice and will lead to better outcomes for the babies," she said.

"Any concerns with regard to the unborn baby, the capability, capacity of the mother or parents, the wellbeing of siblings and the history of the family will be discussed with NDHB and CYF as soon as the pregnancy has been confirmed. The database will help build a bigger picture of a child's welfare."

The database was developed by the University of Auckland, which over five years assessed 52,000 children whose parent or parents were on a benefit.

New Zealand Medical Association chairman Paul Ockelford said the information-sharing system was a step in the right direction.

"One of the things we submitted was to have a much closer involvement of the at-risk child with what we call the medical home - multi-disciplinary general practice. I think we see the focus on better information sharing ... to capture information on neglected, abused, at-risk children as a real positive," Dr Ockelford said.

Plans to red-flag abusers were included in the paper.