'A risk to life': Social workers called out for no-shows on keeping kids safe

The chief victims advisor is calling out Oranga Tamariki (OT) for not sending social workers to critical meetings for keeping abused children from harm.

Ruth Money says it is infuriating and a threat to children's lives.

"I think it is devastating for the community and children at risk that Oranga Tamariki are not at the table having these discussions around the risk planning. It literally can be a risk to life."

RNZ's inquiries show Money first complained to the Children's Ministry last year about non-attendance at meetings where she, OT, police, health and education agencies make plans to safeguard specific children.

"You cannot do that well, you can't do it at all, if you're not looking at all the pieces of the puzzle and OT are the only ones that hold that information," said Money.

Gaps between agencies have been implicated again and again in the killing and harm of children. A child is killed by their caregiver on average every two months, and thousands of children and teenagers are assaulted or sexually assaulted every year.

Documents show that in April this year the chief adviser complained again. She told RNZ it had got better but then got worse again.

Money told RNZ OT's response to her had been "underwhelming" and she would escalate it to the minister.

The minister both of children and for preventing violence Karen Chhour referred RNZ to OT saying, "It is an operational matter."

Oranga Tamariki deputy chief executive tamariki and whānau services Thomas Ronan.

Deputy chief executive tamariki and whānau services Thomas Ronan said being at the meetings was one of the agency's priorities and it was actively working to improve attendance.

Staffing constraints was one of many factors that could be affecting attendance he said.

It did not count if social workers actually went to meetings - only whether they intended to go, as sometimes they were called away urgently to ensure the immediate safety of tamariki and whānau.

Ronan said in most cases when a social worker was unable to attend, the agency could find someone else to take their place. However, this was not always possible, especially at much smaller sites.

If they did not go they still sent in OT's information on a case - but Money said it was the roundtable discussion that produced the "gold".

The only comparable figures provided came from Waikato, where out of seven meetings a week social workers were going to just one or two. Rotorua was trialling weekly not daily attendance. South Auckland had four social workers fulltime at the meetings.

Thomas Ronan said the Waikato figure