The number of Kiwi kids in state care has risen to over 6,000, an all-time high.
The increase comes a year after a ministerial restructure, raising questions over whether the new system is working.
It was announced with much fanfare, and promises. But one year on, how well is the new children's ministry doing?
"I think the school report would say good start, shows promise, lots more work to do," said Grainne Moss, chief executive of Oranga Tamariki, Ministry for Children.
Controversial Child, Youth and Family was disbanded and Oranga Tamariki touted as a complete overhaul of our care system.
But now just over 6,000 children are in state care in New Zealand, 500 more than last year and the highest it has ever been.
Oranga Tamariki says part of the increase is because children can now stay in care until they're 18.
"The other part has probably been that we have had more notifications. The public have been fantastic at rising to the challenge and speaking up on behalf of children," Ms Moss said.
Ms Moss says they have more social workers on the ground than in the past five years.
“Caregivers desperately need better supports and better training
She says 327 new social workers have been hired in the past year, taking the total to over 1,400 around the country.
But those on the front line say not much has changed.
"Caregivers desperately need better supports and better training to deal with what's presented to them on a day to day basis," said Linda Surtees, Fostering Kids chief executive.
1 NEWS has also been requesting information on CYF's staffing. But Oranga Tamariki says the old and new ministries are different, so aren't comparable.
1 NEWS has also obtained a letter sent from Whangarei social workers with their concerns including low office moral, unachievable workloads, insufficient resource, high staff turnover and a lack of training.
The letter stated the Whangarei office had experienced a very high turn over in the previous 18-24 months, with 20 staff having resigned, and that these issues had been raised many times before.
"We sent extra staff there to understand and help the team work towards what the issues would be. But we also have put in additional resources," Ms Moss said.
New Zealand's past child abuse record has seen tens of thousands of cases, and deaths of children in CYF care.
But Oranga Tamariki says it's on track for that promised overhaul for a more child-focused system.
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