John Langley: Be brave to keep our children safe

In 2015 the police investigated more than 101,000 incidents of family violence, and of those, some 62,000 had at least one child or young person present in the household.

At regular intervals there are flurries of activity in the media about Child Youth and Family (CYF).

This interest is usually prompted by a tragic event or a report that is critical of CYF and the work it does.

Perhaps that's understandable but rather than being the subject of occasional media interest, the issue of child abuse should be in our faces every day.

The reason is that with all the will in the world CYF cannot be responsible for the safety and nurturing of children in our communities.

Nor should it be.

It is not social workers who neglect children. It is not social workers who abuse children.

And it is not social workers who subject children to horrendous experiences that potentially scar them for life.

Those things, sadly, occur in our families, our homes, our neighbourhoods and in the wider community. Places where our children should feel safest.

In Te Tai Tokerau we have some 330 children in care due to abuse and neglect, which represents 6.5 per cent of the national total, more than our share.

In terms of family violence in 2015 the police investigated more than 101,000 incidents nationally and of those, some 62,000 had at least one child or young person present in the household. Again Te Tai Tokerau is over-represented.

It is hard to imagine what it is like for a young child to be living in a place where he constantly witnesses the most dreadful treatment of one parent to another.

To live in a place where children are themselves subject to regular bashings. Or to live in a place where the most basic necessities of life are never present.

How these children get through this, if they do, is nigh on a miracle and a testament to their resilience. Tragically, many do not.

They become damaged for the rest of their lives and continue the cycle of inflicting hurt on others.

That said, there is one thing that is common to all of this: Someone always knows.

Whether it is a family member, a neighbour, a local storekeeper who sees bruises that shouldn't be there or a teacher.

Someone always knows.

In the first Expert Advisory Panel report that is recommending changes to the ways we deal with vulnerable children, they made a significant comment: It is the responsibility of the whole community to look out for vulnerable children. Not just the agencies but the whole community.

I realise there are many reasons why those who know do not act. Not wanting to dob in a family member. Suspecting something is up but not being quite sure. Yet another might be fear of reprisal.

These are understandable human reactions. However, if we are to make any significant progress in reducing family violence we need to get over them.

We need to get into the mindset that nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of our children and no one should diminish or threaten that.

So, where does that leave CYF? If the solution to these issues lies within communities, and it does, then its role and that of a number of agencies is to walk alongside communities to provide the support needed at the time and to help construct the platform for the future.

It is to work with you and not at you. We cannot, and never have been able to, solve the problems of child abuse or family violence but we can work together with you to do so.

Our children and young people are our future. If our future is to be as bright as it can be, then those same children and young people must go into that future well-loved, well-nurtured, thriving and confident about what life holds.

They deserve nothing less.

- Dr John Langley is regional director for CYF, Ministry of Social Development, Te Tai Tokerau.