Staff misconduct cases soar at CYF
National Party Welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins has released figures showing a big increase in staff misconduct cases
at CYF since 1999.
Answers to written Parliamentary questions show the number of staff misconduct cases have soared from 2 in 1998/99 to 46
in 2001/2002.
“The Minister can’t provide the most up to date figures because, conveniently for Labour, there have been problems ‘due
to a change in the way information was captured and stored’.
“When the number of staff facing disciplinary action has climbed so dramatically in such a short time, the Minister must
ask questions.
“Clearly there is something wrong with the culture at CYF, which has been forced to carry an increasing workload without
adequate Ministerial leadership.
“If CYF was a private care provider, they would lose their government contracts with this kind of record,” says Ms
Collins.
Ends
Parliamentary Question 03531 (2005)
Sent: Monday, 4 April 2005 03:53 p.m.
Subject: 03531 (2005) Published - Social Development & Employment (Associate Minister - CYF) - Normal Reply
Question: Were any Child, Youth and Family staff reported or investigated for misconduct for each year from October 1999
through to and including October 2003; if so, how many staff were involved each year, specified by the nature of their
misconduct?
Portfolio: Social Development & Employment (Associate Minister - CYF)
Minister: Hon Ruth Dyson
Date Lodged:15/03/2005
Answer Text: Child Youth and Family records do not cover the full period requested due to a change in the way
information was captured and stored in the period July - December 2003. At this time, a new centralised database
incorporating information in relation to investigations relating to misconduct was being developed and introduced.
However, available records show the following number of disciplinary cases were initiated by Child Youth and Family in
the four year period 1 July 1998 to 30 June 2002:
1998 - 1999 2
1999 - 2000 22
2000 - 2001 58
2001 - 2002 46
Note these numbers do not include cases resolved through the department's informal processes (specified in the Code of
Conduct), nor all formal cases (particularly for earlier years), and do not separately categorise different causes for
the disciplinary action, or the specific nature of any misconduct.