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Media Releases
Only media releases from the Children's Commissioner over the past 12 months are displayed. If you wish to view an earlier media release, please click to view all media releases.
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21 December 2011
Report into abuse of nine-year-old girl
Mel Smith’s report on the abuse of a nine-year-old girl is distressing reading but has been a catalyst for changes to the way we protect our children, Children’s Commissioner Dr Russell Wills said today.
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23 November 2011
Stunning new picture book on children’s rights
Nine prominent and emerging kiwi artists have contributed to a stunning new book that helps children understand their rights.
For Each and Every Child – He Taonga Tonu te Tamariki was produced by UNICEF to encourage better understanding of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCROC), which New Zealand signed up to in 1993.
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13 October 2011
Children's Commissioner welcomes new social work positions
Providing more front line social workers and supervisors is a positive response to the increase in substantiated notifications to Child Youth and
Family (CYF) says the Children’s Commissioner, Dr Russell Wills.
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23 August 2011
Deputy Children's Commissioner appointed
Children's Commissioner Dr Russell Wills has announced the appointment of Dr Jo Cribb as Deputy Children's Commissioner.
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27 July 2011
Green Paper Media Release
Children’s Commissioner Dr Russell Wills says the time has come for New Zealanders to have tough conversations about how to improve children’s lives.
“It is easy to say children are taonga and we’d do anything for them – but we need to talk about what we’re prepared to sacrifice and change to make the lives of vulnerable children better,” he said today.
This afternoon the Government released its Green Paper on Vulnerable Children, which is a document designed to stimulate public debate prior to the development of a White Paper and a Children’s Action Plan.
“The Green Paper is an opportunity to make changes for those children who are failing, hurting or missing out."
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2 June 2011
Pre-European Maori parenting practices provide a model for today and the future
Chair of Te Kahui Mana Ririki (TKMR), Dr Hone Kaa, says that research undertaken by TKMR provides a wealth of knowledge for contemporary parenting. The research was commissioned by the Children’s Commissioner John Angus.
“John Angus asked us to look at the history of pre-colonial Maori parenting. The purpose of the exercise was to document this heritage and to see whether this history could provide the basis for a contemporary parenting model,” Dr Kaa said.
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26 May 2011
Youth Week a chance for adults to step up
Children's Commissioner John Angus says Youth Week is a reminder that more effort should be made by adults to listen to young people.
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21 March 2011
Report into child care for under-two-year-olds released – Children’s Commissioner
Placing infants and toddlers in child care is not ‘bad’ for them - provided it is good
quality, according to the findings of a report released by Children’s Commissioner
John Angus today.
The report, Through their lens: An inquiry into non-parental education and care of
infants and toddlers, suggests quality is variable in this country and some
improvements are needed.
“Children under two have very different needs to older children so we can’t take a one size fits all approach to child care. Under 2-year-olds’ rapid brain evelopment,
underdeveloped immunity and need for stable attachment mean they have very specific educational and care needs.
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3 March 2011
Children's Day 2011
Children’s Day is about giving people an opportunity to celebrate how important children are in their lives and communities. Events are held around the country to encourage people to share time with children. This is the 11th year of the celebration and the theme of the day is ‘love and affection.’
“It’s Children’s Day this Sunday (March 6) and although many families in Canterbury are going through some extremely difficult times, it might be a good chance to take some time out to spend with their children.
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