Failing to protect

The Herald reported at the weekend:

Making it a crime for adults to turn a blind eye to child abuse or neglect by others in their homes will help to prevent cases such as that of the Kahui twins, a child welfare advocate says.

Justice Minister Simon Power announced yesterday that the Government will make a raft of changes to child abuse laws, including a new offence of “failing to protect”.

It will make adults criminally liable if they do not intervene or tell the authorities that someone else in the house is abusing or neglecting a child or other “vulnerable” person, such as the elderly.

It is sad that this law is needed, but it is.