A former Oranga Tamariki social worker who used pornography and drugs to groom a 15-year-old boy for sex has also pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice.
In today's Herald it was revealed that the woman pleaded guilty yesterday to amended charges ahead of her trial in the Auckland District Court next week.
The mid-30s woman admitted meeting someone younger than 16 following sexual grooming, sexual conduct with a person under 16, exposing a young person to indecent material and two charges of supplying cannabis to a person under 18.
The amendment was an additional charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice, which the woman also pleaded guilty to, the court confirmed to the Herald today.
Oranga Tamariki has also confirmed the woman's employment with the government department has ended as a result of the allegations.
Since first being charged last October the woman has held interim name suppression, which will continue until her sentencing later this year.
A spokesman for Oranga Tamariki said today it would not comment on the additional attempting to pervert the course of justice charge or the case until after sentencing.
The Ministry for Children's deputy chief executive, Alison McDonald, has previously said the worker was suspended after the allegations first came to light.
"We are appalled at the allegations, which are shocking and deeply upsetting," she said when the Herald first reported the case.
Oranga Tamariki would also conduct an internal investigation, McDonald said, the details of which were not commented on by the spokesman yesterday.
"We are undertaking our own response, which includes a review, and an assessment of other children they were working with to ensure their safety," McDonald said.
Oranga Tamariki is responsible for the protection and care of children whose wellbeing is deemed to be at risk, youth offenders and children of the state.
In a separate case, a former Child, Youth and Family (CYF) caregiver faces allegations of sexually abusing 17 boys.
The Auckland man, who has interim name suppression, has pleaded not guilty to 43 charges.
Oranga Tamariki - formerly CYF - is understood to also be investigating those claims.
The ex-caregiver's alleged offending stems from the mid-2000s and came to light last year.
Of the 17 complainants, 14 were allegedly sexually abused and others were subjected to physical abuse while the man was working for CYF.
One boy was also allegedly assaulted with a bamboo stick.
He also faces allegations of threatening to kill other boys and is charged with supplying methamphetamine and cannabis to youngsters.