Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Amendment Bill

A Bill containing amendments to the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act (1989) has had its first reading in Parliament and was referred to the Social Services Select Committee.The Bill covers care and protection of, and offending by, children and young people. Proposed changes include:• The age of young people covered by the Act • Information sharing • Role of the Chief Social Worker • Family Group Conference processes • Disability provisions • How child offending is dealt with • Youth justice, including victim provisions and Youth Court OrdersSubmissions on the Bill will close on 28 April 2008.Information about the project to update the Act and a summary of the submissions and the Bill can be found at: www.msd.govt.nz/work-areas/children-and-young-people/cypf-act-update/index.html The complete Bill can be downloaded from www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Legislation/Bills/c/7/1/00DBHOH_BILL8364_1-Children-Young-Persons-and-Their-Families-Amendment.htm