New Zealand Department of Child, Youth and Family Services

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Child, Youth and Family "CYF", formerly^{[citation needed]} called the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFS) and Child and Young Persons Service (CYPS) (in Māori, Te Tari Awhina I te Tamaiti, te Rangatahi, tae atu ki te Whanau), is a service of the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) whose role is the provision of social services to ensure the protection of children and youth. New Zealand's Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment, responsible for CYF, is the Hon. Ruth Dyson.

[edit] Legislation

Child Youth and Family was established as a government department under the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services Act 1999.

Child Youth and Family administers, or is involved in administering, the following legislation:

Adoption Act 1955,
Adult Adoption Information Act 1985,
Adoption (Intercountry) Act 1997,
Care of Children Act 2004,
Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989,
Disabled Persons Community Welfare Act 1975,
Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988.

[edit] Responsibilities

Protecting children and young people who are at risk of or who have been abused or neglected, or who are at risk of offending, is the service's primary responsibility, and it carries out investigations when a child or young person is believed to be "at risk". Where there is a risk of serious harm, it can exercise powers to ensure that a child is kept safe from that risk. The department also deals with youth justice, a section of the law that deals mainly with offending by young people aged 14–16 years, and adoption through The Adoption Information and Services Unit (AISU).

In addition, the department provides residential and care services for children and young people who require placing away from their parents, guardians or usual caregivers, and funds a wide range of community-based social services, with a focus on children, young people and families in need of support.