More than 150 children in three years were removed from state foster parents after physical, sexual or emotional abuse, Government figures reveal.
Between July 1999 and June 2000, 61 children were abused by their foster parents after being removed from their families for safety reasons.
Fifty-two were removed between July 2000 and
last June, and 45 between last July and March this year, according to Child, Youth and Family Services figures obtained under the Official Information Act.
About 4300 children are in department care.
A department spokesman said most cases of abuse related to inappropriate physical punishment of children, such as smacking, although physical, sexual and emotional abuse did occur.
Last month, the Foster Care Association said child abuse by foster parents was rare. It was responding to a murder charge laid against foster father Michael Waterhouse after the death of 3-year-old Huntly boy Tamiti Pokaia.
Late last year, social workers were ordered to check photo identification and referees of caregivers and their partners after revelations that 11 foster children had been placed in the same house as a convicted sex offender.
Children's Commissioner Roger McClay said the high rate of foster parent abuse was sad and showed the need to carefully vet state caregivers.
But it could also show how difficult some children in care were to look after.
Department chief executive Jackie Pivac said not all children were removed for negative reasons.
A child could, for example, be removed if there was a personality clash with the caregiver or if a permanent home was found.
Ms Pivac said about 60 per cent of the children in its care in the past five years had remained with the same caregiver, and a further 20 per cent had only two placements.
She said prospective caregivers underwent a police check, medical assessment, social worker interview and checking with referees before being approved.
- NZPA
