12 June 2013

National Children’s Director announced

Ministry of Social Development chief executive and Chair of the Vulnerable Children’s Board, Brendan Boyle today announced the appointment of Sue Mackwell as the new National Children’s Director.

Ms Mackwell is currently the Deputy Chief Executive, Social Policy and Knowledge at the Ministry of Social Development and has been at the forefront of working on policies that touch the lives of many New Zealanders and their families over the past decade, including Working for Families and Welfare Reform.

As National Children’s Director Ms Mackwell will lead the implementation and delivery of the Children’s Action Plan, and oversee the operation and national rollout of Children’s Teams nationwide.

“The role of National Children’s Director is critical in driving the Children’s Teams that will usher in a new way of working with vulnerable children and their families. Sue’s dedication, energy and vast knowledge of social policy means she’s ideally suited to this position,” Mr Boyle says.

An expert advisory group is being established to ensure that the Director and the Children’s Teams are provided with specialist advice on the delivery of services to vulnerable children and their families.

The Children’s Teams were created following the release last October of the Government’s White Paper on Vulnerable Children.

The Children’s Teams bring together frontline professionals to work with vulnerable children who are not in a statutory care and protection intervention, but who have been identified as being at risk of abuse or neglect.

One of the first two demonstration sites for the Children’s Teams will get underway next month in Rotorua.

Ms Mackwell starts her new role on 17 June 2013.

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