A report on the plight of children in state care has prompted the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) to say New Zealand isn't looking after some of its most vulnerable young people as well as it should.
Children's Commissioner John Angus released the report yesterday, showing many children were being shunted around foster homes with little support.
It investigated the quality of care given to about 5200 children in state care, most of them placed with Child, Youth and Family (CYF) caregivers or with extended family.
"We bring these children into state care because their parents have failed to keep them safe, secure and well nurtured," Mr Angus said.
"It's therefore important that government agencies do their job well ... there is evidence of some good work going on but we're falling short too often."
Mr Angus said the children were not getting access to good health care, they were often denied the opportunity to strive for further education and their cultural and recreational needs were often not being met.
The report slammed CYF for dropping "significant numbers of young people...out of care with no support in place" when they turned 17.
Social Development Minister Paula Bennett welcomed the report.
"Most of what he's identified we're already doing, we've already identified, but that's where we need to move ahead and address those issues," she said.
Unicef NZ executive director Dennis McKinlay said the report showed the standard of care for many New Zealand children was well below what was needed.
"Often there are six or more placements for children within two years and this constant disruption affects almost every aspect of their lives – not least their opportunity for a quality education," he said.
"We know that children who enter state care here have a higher chance of later becoming involved with the justice system ... it is important that the services the state provides for these children is in their best interests."
Mr McKinlay said New Zealand, along with most other countries, was a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
"It obliges the state to provide special protection and assistance for children who can't remain with their own family, for whatever reason," he said.
"Those children are entitled to a standard of care that protects their right to safety and to continuity in their upbringing, including their education."